After months of speculation, Todd Murphy has become the first cricketer from Echuca-Moama to be tapped on the shoulder for the Australian Test cricket squad.
The 22-year-old off-spinner will join the 18-man squad for Australia’s tour of India in February as one of three spin options picked to potentially partner front-line spin option Nathan Lyon, it was announced on Wednesday.
Murphy’s selection caps off a meteoric rise in Australian cricket for the former local cricketer after appearing for Australia A, the Prime Minister’s XI, and Victoria in the Sheffield Shield where he has claimed 14 wickets at an average of just 17.71.
“Todd Murphy has progressed quickly having impressed in domestic cricket and recently with Australia A. With those performances Todd has emerged as a strong spin option,” Australian selector George Bailey said.
“Selection in this squad also provides another opportunity to spend time alongside Nathan Lyon and assistant coach Daniel Vettori in India which will be invaluable to his development.”
Widely regarded as the heir apparent to spin king Lyon, Murphy’s maiden selection in the Aussie Test squad will allow him to push his case for a baggy green in the first Test against India at Nagpur, starting on February 9.
His addition comes on the eve of a highly-anticipated four-Test tour for the Aussies, who are seeking their first series victory in India since 2004.
Murphy is one of four spinners picked in the squad alongside the incumbent, Lyon, leg-spinner Mitch Swepson and left-arm all-rounder Ashton Agar.
The talented Victorian has been living life under the microscope of Australian selectors after just seven Sheffield Shield appearances for Victoria since making his debut in April 2021.
And despite a gap of nearly one year between his first game and his return in February 2022, it was plain to see why Murphy had become so highly regarded, boasting the best red-ball average of a spinner in the Shield with best match figures of 7-86 against New South Wales.
Call-ups to the Australia A squad in Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister’s XI ensued, and a strong showing against the West Indies propelled Murphy right into the discussion for the India Test series.
But for Murphy himself, the elevation into Australia’s squad may have come sooner than he imagined as he explained to the Riverine Herald back in October.
“For me, that’s still a long way away,” Murphy said.
“It’s always nice to be mentioned in that area, but I think there’s still a lot of work for me to do in the meantime for that to be in the realm of possibilities.
“I’m a long way off that at the moment, and I know that.
“I think if you get caught up looking too far ahead into the future you can get a little bit ahead of yourself.
“For me, it’s just about focusing on what I can control with Victoria, and if I can keep putting performances on the board then down the track that sort of stuff looks after itself.
“I’m not too caught up in that at the moment,” he had said.
Remarkably, Murphy didn’t take up spin bowling until the age of 16.
Instead, he plied his trade at Goulburn Murray Cricket club Moama as a renowned batsman and crafty medium paceman for 106 appearances in the black-and-white.
Now one of the best exponents of spin bowling in the country and with the backing of Lyon himself, Murphy has the opportunity to become the first export from the Echuca-Moama region to don a baggy green.
The first Test between Australia and India is scheduled to commence at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on February 9.
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