Exciting Victorian spinner Todd Murphy is trying to stay grounded as talk about a potential Test tour to India intensifies and says he is a long-form traditionalist who grew up idolising Nathan Lyon.
Murphy, the up-and-coming off-spinner, is tipped to be named in Australia’s touring party this week for a four-Test tour of India in February and March.
The 22-year-old Sydney Sixers tweaker is hardly a household name but plenty of astute judges in Australian cricket believe Murphy has a big future.
The last Australian to take a 10-wicket haul in India, Steve O’Keefe, raised eyebrows late last year with his assessment of Murphy, who has played just seven first-class matches.
“I think he’s the best off-spinner I’ve seen come through since Nathan [Lyon],” O’Keefe said. “It’s a big call, but I stand by it and I think I’ll be proven right over the next 12 months.”
Australia cycled through many spinners in the years after Shane Warne retired before settling on Lyon as the country’s No.1 in red ball cricket.
Victoria’s Todd Murphy in action.Credit:Getty Images
Lyon, 35, won’t be around forever and there are hopes Murphy can fill the void down the track.
While he is no guarantee to earn a baggy green in India, with Ashton Agar and Mitch Swepson also likely to tour, Murphy is excited by the prospect of a maiden tour, if he gets the nod.
Australia are expected to name their squad on Wednesday.
“Now it’s out of my control. I can’t do any more with no first-class cricket on,” Murphy told the Herald and The Age. “[Selectors] are going to go off what they’ve seen. I’m trying not to think about it.
“If the opportunity arose to go to India … it’d be absolutely awesome. I’d love it. I also know if it doesn’t happen, there is still plenty of work for me to do to cement a spot for Victoria. I want to keep enjoying Shield cricket for what it is.”
As for comparisons to his teenage idol, Murphy is humbled and flattered by them, yet is acutely aware that actions speak louder than words. It’s all well and good to have beautiful shape and lovely turn but without wickets it means nothing.
“It’s obviously really nice to hear that from a guy like SOK [O’Keefe] who is so well credentialed and has done so much good stuff over his career,” Murphy said. “I try and not let that play too much in my head and try and keep doing what I’m doing. It’s nice to have those raps but if you’re not doing well on the field, it doesn’t mean anything.
“I know that to be successful you’ve got to keep performing. I don’t want to read too much into it and forget why I’m out on the field.
“Everyone idolised Shane Warne for what he was. From a pure spin sense, definitely Nathan [was an inspiration], just being able to watch how good he has been over the last five or six years. You just get to see what you’re aspiring to be and where you want to get to.
“To have a guy like that you know you’ve got a bit of a relationship with, to watch him go about his stuff and be so good has been awesome for me.”
Murphy has had limited opportunities with the Sixers in the Big Bash – he has combined figures of 3-64 from three matches – yet could get his big break in his favoured format during what will be a blockbuster series starting in Nagpur on February 9.
Australia haven’t won a Test series in India since 2004.
“I see myself as a red ball bowler. That’s what I’ve aspired to be,” Murphy said. “I think through the pathways and junior stuff, you play a lot more white ball cricket, so you probably fast-track your development in that side of the game.
“But I think the pure test of playing long-form cricket is what excites me most.”
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