Sri Lanka v Australia: Todd Murphy dropped yet again, where does he stand?

In 2023, Todd Murphy looked to be the heir apparent to Nathan Lyon after a starring role in India. Two years later, the Victorian is the man on the outside, with no sign of Lyon slowing down.

When Todd Murphy bagged a seven-wicket haul on Test debut in Nagpur at 22, he was anointed Nathan Lyon’s heir apparent.

And the Victorian offie might still be that man.

But the adage of progress not being linear is ringing particularly true for Murphy, who on Thursday was dropped from the Aussie Test side for the fourth time in less than two years.

Lyon has been as close to a “set and forget” selection in the Australian XI as selectors have had for a long time. Only his calf injury at Lord’s in 2023 halted a 100-Test and decade-long mortgage the “GOAT” has held on a spot in the Aussie side.

He was troubled by a hip complaint during the home series against India and was relegated to bit-part bowler given pace’s hegemony on contemporary Australian pitches. But such is the esteem in which he is held, there were never any serious suggestions he would be left out to allow Australia to play an extra quick, a trope of his early years in the Test team.

Murphy was the presumed successor to Lyon. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The 37-year-old reiterated in the aftermath of Australia’s first Test win at Galle that he wants to keep playing international cricket until at least 2027, seeking to punch the holes of elusive series wins in India and England on his card of achievements.

His Test bowling average has quietly snuck to its lowest point since 2012. This is not a man who looks like he is about to finish any time soon. That is bad news for those in the queue behind him.

There is a strong argument to suggest that the best three red-ball spinners in Australia are Lyon, Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli.

Given the state of modern Shield decks, the numbers of the junior men behind Lyon on the podium are impressive.

Murphy has 53 Sheffield Shield wickets at 31.13, while West Australian Rocchiccioli has 95 first-class scalps at 32.40. The trouble is that while there are subtle differences between the trio, they are all offies.

Murphy wasn’t atrocious in the first Test but he was outbowled by Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann. Moreover as a second specialist off-spinner, he was a luxury selectors felt they didn’t need on a wicket they anticipated would turn heavily from the outset, encouraging the panel to include batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly despite his grand total of zero first-class wickets.

Matthew Kuhnemann has been the key spinner for the Aussies in Sri Lanka thus far. Picture: Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP

It was a case of history repeating for Murphy, who was also the man to make way when selectors last opted to squeeze an extra all-rounder in at Manchester in 2023, a Test the Aussies were lucky to save.

Murphy is sensible enough to know that opportunities were always likely to be few and far between. He even noted as much in an interview before the series.

“I think it’s really healthy having competition. I think that sort of gets the best out of all of us. And Kuhnhy would be no different as well. He’s still trying to push his case to be the next man in as well. So there’s a lot of us guys that are trying to do that,” Murphy told this masthead.

“Knowing as well that Gaz (Lyon) has still got a couple more years in him of really could Test cricket as well, so there’s no point peaking just yet and still making sure that I’m developing for Victoria and still trying to learn my craft in a way.

“I’m only 24 so I hope there’s still a lot to come and I continue to get better over the next few years. And whenever he eventually does finish up someone’s got to take it. And I think there’s going to be some really good options there.”

Murphy still has a bright future. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

So there is little risk Murphy will drop his bundle. He is as mature and diligent as they come. But his medium-term future looks shaky.

It is hard to envisage him retaining his Cricket Australia contract. Two spinners can be a consideration in the West Indies – where Australia plays three Tests mid-year – but Kuhnemann’s point of difference as a left-armer could give him the nod in such circumstances.

Australia doesn’t tour Asia again for Tests until the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in early 2027. Until then, Murphy will likely need to be content with Shield cricket and the occasional Australia A gig, as he seeks to keep in front of Rocchiccioli, Tanveer Sangha and whoever else may bob up.

Originally published as Sri Lanka v Australia: Todd Murphy dropped yet again, where does he stand?