SYDNEY: Spinner Todd Murphy will have to wait to learn whether he will make his Test debut on home soil, with Australia keeping their options open ahead of the fifth and final Ashes clash against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Murphy was drafted into the squad for the fourth Test after Nathan Lyon was ruled out for the remainder of the series with injury. However, Australia opted for an all-pace attack in Melbourne, leaving the young off-spinner on the sidelines as England went on to claim a consolation win inside two chaotic days.
Despite that defeat, Australia had already secured the series with victories in the opening three Tests. Stand-in captain Steve Smith said lessons from Melbourne meant selectors would take their time before settling on the XI.
“We haven’t picked a team,” Smith told reporters on Saturday. “There’s 13 or 14 guys on the table and we want to see the wicket and see how we match up against that.”
