Murphy relishing rare chance to play leading role

Victoria off-spinner Todd Murphy was rewarded for his toil in Australia A's clash with India A in Puducherry, claiming seven wickets in a match for the first time since his Test debut in February 2023.

On a pitch that has increasingly taken turn, more than half of Australia A's overs were spin, with Murphy's workload of 48.3 overs representing the bulk of those, and the sixth-most he has bowled in his 50-match first-class career.

In the second innings, he took 4-48 from 15 overs, cleaning up the Indian tail to help keep his side in the contest.

"I was confident at the start of (day three) there was going to be something there for me, and it was nice to be able to make (use) of that," the offie said after play.

"It's probably what I'm still trying to work out (in India): as the game goes on and the wicket starts to break up more and spin more, what's the most effective way to do it?

"The beauty of playing these games is you get that information ... you're working that out – (bowling a) fraction quicker at times, a fraction slower at times, playing with my seam position, and just finding different ways to try and challenge them."

Murphy played nine Sheffield Shield matches last summer but averaged only 12 overs per innings, with spin bowling across the board largely taking a back seat on pitches favouring the seamers.

One match into this tour and the 25-year-old is relishing being thrown the ball so frequently in conditions aiding his craft.

"It is really fun, and that's one of the things coming over (to India) that you look forward to – you really hope that you get a couple of days where the conditions are in your favour and you can go to work," he said.

"A lot of the time in Shield cricket especially, you're sort of there as a support role for the quicks, so it's nice for that to be flipped every now and then, and to be able to bowl some long overs; I don't remember the last time I would've bowled that many overs in a game.

"So it's nice coming over here, getting good volume in ... we bowled three days in a row as well, so it's good to see how you come back each day ... and you find where your skill's at, and you're able to build through some stuff, which is good."

Photo credits: Cricket Association of Pondicherry media

Australia A men's tour of India 2026

1st four-day: Sep 22-25, Puducherry, 2pm AEST

2nd four-day: Sep 29-Oct 2, Puducherry, 2pm AEST

Australia A four-day squad: Brendan Doggett, Jack Edwards, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Liam Hatcher, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott

India A four-day squad: Aman Mokhade, Ayush Pandey, Devdutt Padikkal (c), Sai Sudharsan (vc), Yash Rathod, Shaik Rasheed, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Tushar Deshpande, Anshul Kamboj, Praful Hinge, Narayan Jagadeesan (wk), Nachiket Bhute, Vijaykumar Vyshak

1st one-day: Oct 6, Puducherry, 3pm AEDT

2nd one-day: Oct 9, Puducherry, 3pm AEDT

3rd one-day: Oct 11, Puducherry, 3pm AEDT

Australia A one-day squad: Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitch Owen, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachlan Shaw

India A one-day squad: Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur