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Australia could be about to pull off one of the biggest selection surprises in more than a decade when the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets underway in Nagpur on Thursday.
Uncapped off-spinner Todd Murphy’s chances of a debut are firming in the lead-up to the match on what is expected to be a spinner’s paradise as the Australians toss up several possible line-ups in the series opener.
The Roar understands that Murphy’s father has flown to India but whether he will be watching the 22-year-old Victorian make his debut this week remains to be seen.
Skipper Pat Cummins declined to name his XI, saying he would leave it until just before the toss, but gave Murphy a big wrap.
“I think he’d be as prepared as he could be,” Cummins said of Murphy on Wednesday.
“He’s been bowling beautifully in the nets over here.
“He’s started really well for Victoria in first-class cricket.
“If he got the nod, he’s got Nathan Lyon down the other end that he can work with.
“He’s ready – everyone in the squad here has had really good preparation and whoever we pick is 100 per cent ready to go.”
Cummins left the door ajar to play three spinners, but conceded it was unlikely due to Green not being there to bowl his seamers.
“We’ve done it before, it’s of course a possibility,” he said.
“In extreme conditions, you sometimes have to change the line-up.”
If Murphy plays, bowling allrounder Ashton Agar will likely be left out after featuring in Australia’s New Year’s Test against South Africa at the SCG.
Agar and Queensland leggie Mitchell Swepson are the other spinners in Australia’s 18-man squad.
It will be a battle between Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb to decide who bats at No.6.
Renshaw made his first Test appearance in more than four years last month, but selectors could go for Handscomb to combat India’s trio of spinners – Ravi Jadeja, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin – on a likely raging turner.
“I think it is a factor over here,” Cummins said of choosing between left and right-hand batters.
“With so much traffic from the right-handers bowling, at times there is a bit more out there for the left-handers.
“The Indian line-up is going to be packed full of right-handers so I think it plays a small factor.”
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Todd Murphy bowls during a net session in Nagpur. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
With just seven first-class matches under his belt, picking Murphy would be arguably the boldest selection call by Australia since they gambled on Lyon in Sri Lanka in 2011 when he had just five matches on his resume.
None of the Indian batters have faced Murphy, who is seen as a different kind of spinner to Lyon even though they both bowl offies.
Australia and India are at the top of the World Test Championship rankings and are all but certain to face off in the final at The Oval in London in June after this four-match series.
Agar went wicketless in his return to Test cricket at Sydney while Murphy has been one of the stars of the Sheffield Shield this summer, taking 14 wickets at 17.71 as well as an eye-catching 3-27 for the Prime Minister’s XI in the first innings against the West Indies.
Green’s absence is a further blow to Australia’s pace stocks, with Mitchell Starc (broken finger) and Josh Hazlewood (achilles) – who have taken 526 Test wickets between them – also sidelined.
Renshaw, who was David Warner’s opening partner on Australia’s last tour to India in 2017, went more than four years before adding to his 11 Tests.
The Australians train at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground in Nagpur. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Victorian Peter Handscomb, who also played all four Tests in India six years ago, is also an option to bat at No.6.
Starc, Hazlewood and Green will all be racing the clock to be available for the second Test in Delhi, with just three days in between matches.
Smith indicated the Australians struggled to get a “good gauge” on the pitch but was sure to be a turner.
“Pretty dry, particularly one end,” Smith said. “I think it’ll take a bit of spin, particularly the left-arm spin, and spinning it back into our left-handers. There’s a section there that’s quite dry.
“I don’t think there’ll be a heap of bounce in the wicket and I think it’ll be quite skiddy for the seamers, and maybe a bit of up and down movement as the game goes on. The cracks felt quite loose.”
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