Steve O’Keefe: I can see Murphy in the next 12-18 months being a suitable replacement for Nathan Lyon

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Steve O’Keefe says I think Todd Murphy bowls with overspin and drop, not only that, he's got a lot of skills in his armory, he can bowl square seam which is important over there

Steve O’Keefe has lauded the team management’s decision to give out a Test debut to squeeze Todd Murphy in the first game against India, saying the 22-year-old’s “overspin and drop” will come in handy on turning Asian grounds.

Former Australia left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe has lauded the team management’s decision to give out a Test debut to squeeze Todd Murphy in the first game against India, saying the 22-year-old’s “overspin and drop” will come in handy on turning Asian grounds. 

The Murphy, who was introduced to the Baggy Green by fellow spinner Nathan Lyon in Nagpur on Thursday, is playing his first international match for Australia in any format and his addition ahead of Ashton Agar and leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson came as somewhat of a shock.

While Agar has played five Tests and is a T20I stalwart, Swepson has put on the Baggy Green in four Tests, other than playing 11 white-ball matches.

Murphy, however, has played just seven first-class games but has been amazing in the Sheffield Shield.

“He (Murphy) is something very, very special. I haven’t been this excited about an off-spinner since Nathan Lyon,”

O’Keefe said on SEN Radio.

“I think he bowls with overspin and drop. Not only that, he’s got a lot of skills in his armory, he can bowl square seam which is important over there… Todd Murphy is the guy in his brief cricket journey so far who can use all of those skills in certain parts of the game and exploit them.” 

O’Keefe, who has 35 wickets in nine Test, also expressed that Murphy has in his collection a couple of additional varieties apart from his exemplary off-spin, and this makes him a probable successor to Lyon in the years to come.

“I think what you’ll see with Todd is he can bowl the classic off-spinner along with three or four other (types of deliveries). I can see him in the next 12-18 months being a suitable replacement for Nathan Lyon and I think we’ll see that straight away in this first Test.” 

However, O’Keefe feels Murphy doesn’t surrender to strain as Indian batters will attempt to agitate the youngster early on in the match.

“Todd’s going to have to bowl tight, he’s going to have to bowl straight and he’s going to have to do that containing role because the last thing you want over there is two spinners that are going at four an over there, particularly if you only have two quicks,”

said OKeefe.

“This is what India will do; they’ll put the young spinner under the pump straight away. I just hope that Todd can produce his best and lock down an end and do what is required to support the other three bowlers.”

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