Ashes 2026: Todd Murphy always had to wait for Test cricket. Just three years ago, he made his debut in this format against India, but after that, he has played just seven Test matches. Since Nathan Lyon is Australia’s preferred spinner, Murphy thus had to warm the bench.
Murphy revealed that he knew from the beginning that it would be tough for him to make it to the playing XI when Lyon was there. He last played a Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle.
"[When I made my debut] I probably understood back then it was never going to be linear for me. I was never going to keep my place in the team when Nathan came back, and I was always going to have to go back through Shield cricket and keep developing,” Murphy told reporters in the pre-match press conference.
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LONG WAY TO GO
He is now on the verge of returning to the Test team as Australia will lock horns with England for the fifth Ashes Test match at Sydney Cricket Ground. Lyon will be giving this match a miss as he is suffering from a high-grade right hamstring injury.
Lyon also didn't play the third Test, and so did Murphy, as the host fielded an all-fast-bowlers attack. He is now eyeing a second shot in this format. Murphy revealed that he worked on his skills to bring out the best version of himself.
"At that stage, I was only 23, so I still felt like I had a long way to go to be at my best. I still feel like I'm trying to discover that as well and continuing to get better. It's been a couple of years there where I've just been working away and trying to find the best version of myself," he concluded.
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After playing in seven Tests, he has taken 22 wickets at a brilliant economy rate of 3.21 and registered best figures of 7/124 against India.