Nathan Lyon’s injury during the Ashes series was a big blow for Australia. Todd Murphy filled in for Lyon in the third and fifth Tests, but Australia failed to win any games after taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
Also Read: The Ashes 5th Test Match: England lead by 377 runs
Former Australian captain Ian Chappell criticized the current skippers for being too defensive and hampering the rise of wrist-spinners in the process. He believes that wrist-spinners can be lethal weapons due to the variety they possess.
Australia should consider playing a wrist-spinner in their starting XI for Tests going forward. Murphy could be Lyon’s heir, but investing in a few wrist-spinners in red-ball cricket would not hurt. Here are three wrist-spinners that Australia should develop for Tests:
Mitchell Swepson
Mitchell Swepson waited five years to play for Australia after his debut in India in 2017. He has played four Tests, all in the subcontinent, and taken ten wickets. He has slipped down the pecking order, but his first-class record of 199 wickets from 66 matches at 35.97 apiece and a strike rate of 63.6 suggests he is a quality spinner. Australia should back him and give him a consistent run of games.
Tanveer Sangha
Tanveer Sangha has been hailed as a future star since his debut in the U19 World Cup in 2020. The wrist-spinner has impressed for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League and was selected for Australia’s T20 squad for the New Zealand tour in 2021.
Although Sangha has not played a competitive game in almost a year due to injury, he has a high ceiling due to his control, potent googly, and sharp-turning leg-break. He’s started his first-class career promisingly, taking 24 wickets from eight matches at an average of 30.16.A full season of successful cricket under his belt could see him earn higher honors.
Lloyd Pope
Lloyd Pope has been compared to a young Shane Warne ever since he took eight wickets against England in the U19 World Cup 2018. He has a sharp-turning googly, but lacks control early in his career. As a result, he has fallen down the pecking order. Pope has only played 13 first-class matches, taking 29 wickets at an average of 63.37 and a strike rate of 86. These numbers do not reflect his talent. He has not been a regular starter for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League either.
