Todd Murphy set to replace Nathan Lyon for Australia after injury setback at The Ashes at Lord’s

Australia is facing the reality that they will be without champion off-spinner Nathan Lyon for the remainder of the second Ashes Test, but this time, the Aussie have packed insurance.

Lyon hobbled from the pitch with a suspected calf injury on day two of at Lord’s, with scans likely to rule him out of the remainder of this Test and put his involvement in the remaining three matches in doubt as well.

It has drawn parallels to 2005 when pace icon Glenn McGrath rolled his ankle when he stepped on a stray cricket ball left discarded on the outfield.

That ruled him out of the second Test after taking nine wickets in the opening Test, which ultimately proved costly for the Aussies in a losing cause.

Lyon has been a warrior for Australia since emerging as the greatest offspinner in Australian history after being plucked from near obscurity as a groundsman at the Adelaide Oval. 

Lyon is assisted from the the field after suffering a suspected calf injury, which has put him in doubt for the remainder of the second Ashes Test against England

Lyon’s injury in the second Test has drawn comparisons to Glenn McGrath’s untimely ankle issue during the 2005 series that proved costly for Australia

He has played 100 consecutive Tests – one of many records he holds – and has been able to shine for Australia in all conditions and in all Test playing nations.

His absence is near irreplaceable and in 2019, the Aussies gambled by not even bringing another specialist spinner to England.

However this time around, the Aussies have a strike weapon at their disposal that was unveiled in India earlier this year. 

Todd Murphy, born in Echuca and raised in Moama, began bowling off-spin at 16 under the guidance of spin coach Craig Howard. 

It came after the former Australian international suggested a change from his gentle medium pacers, a move that reaped immediate rewards. 

Murphy has more wickets [14] than he has played first class cricket matches [12] and at just 22, is likely to be called upon to fill the gargantuan boots left by Lyon.  

Murphy quickly gained attention as a talented cricketer, representing Australia in the 2020 U19 World Cup and taking seven wickets. 

Murphy is congratulated by team mates after taking his fifth wicket during day two of the First Test match between India and Australia in Nagpur earlier this year

Lyon took Murphy under his wing on the tour of India and the two bowled well in tandem. Now Murphy may have to step up to replace Australia’s greatest ever off-spinner

While Murphy was called into the Ashes squad, he was not expected to play. Lyon’s injury now means he could have a critical role to play

In 2022, he emerged as one of Australia’s top spinners, making his Sheffield Shield debut and contributing to Victoria’s victory with seven wickets and an unbeaten 24 runs. 

In his Test debut against India in Nagpur, Murphy showcased his skills by taking a five-wicket haul, including dismissing Virat Kohli four times, and continued to impress throughout the series, ending with 14 wickets. 

He has even had a taste of English conditions, being named in the World Test Championship final squad to play India where he trained with the likes of Lyon and the rest of the Aussies on British soil.

And the young spinner has lofty goals, hoping to succeed Lyon and become Australia’s No 1 slow bowler in the future. 

‘There’s always going to be that there that I’m going to try and compete as hard as I can and keep trying to develop my skills as best I can,’ he told News Corp earlier this  year.

Murphy only started bowling off-spin when he was 16 after trying to be a pace bowler in his early days but struggling to generate enough speed

After an astonishing start to his cricket career, Murphy now has more Test wickets than first class appearances and claimed the wicket of Virat Kohli four times

Murphy is seen sharing a laugh with Aussie opener Usman Khawaja on his debut tour of England for The Ashes

‘And whatever comes from there, comes from there. At the moment, I know where I sit in that sense, and, Gaz [Lyon] has been so good for so long, and rightly deserves to be still the No 1 spinner in Australia by a long way.

‘I’ve got no qualms with that. But yeah, I’m definitely going to be there and try to keep tapping into him and keep developing as much as I can.

‘And if an opportunity arises, try and make sure that I’m best equipped to take it. But I’m under no illusions of where I sit in that order.’

The Aussies won’t know the extend of Lyon’s injury until scans are complete overnight in England, but champion batsman Steve Smith said they would be well served having Murphy in their ranks.

‘Todd Murphy is waiting in the wings,’ said Smith.

‘He has been bowling beautifully in the nets and bowled really well in India when he got his opportunity as well.

‘I’d be confident if he came in he’d do a terrific job for us, but fingers crossed Nathan’s all right.’

Steve Smith is hopeful that Lyon’s injury is not too serious, but has full confidence that Murphy can step in and do the job

Ravichandran Ashwin is the ICC top-ranked Test bowler and he said Murphy had enjoyed a much stronger debut in India than Nathan Lyon before him

Plenty of experts have tipped Murphy to have a huge international career, including former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe. 

‘I thought he was fantastic, I like the cut of his jib,’ he said during the Indian tour.

‘Trajectory, loop, angle, curve … he’s the future of Australian spin.

‘The hitters can’t get under him because he bowls a 92km/h loop. He’s under their eye line.

‘Murphy’s natural seam rotation is so suited to Indian pitches … Lyon is a bounce bowler, and there’s no bounce.

‘[Murphy’s] not looking to bounce the ball, he’s looking to hit pads.’

Murphy has even earned praise from India’s world No 1 bowler Ravichandran Ashwin.

‘Todd Murphy had a sensational debut series,’ Ashwin said.

‘Murphy came here 10 to 50 times better than how Nathan Lyon came here on his first Test tour.’