Murphy is going to be a superstar: Steve O'Keefe picks his dark horse for BGT 2023


image-ldu8yjnjMurphy has a SR of 57.6 after 7 FC Games

With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 approaching, the off-field spat between former cricketers from both countries has peaked. Various former cricketers and pundits have predicted favourites for the series, while some have also picked their dark horses.

Australia are considering this India tour as their toughest battle of recent times. For this series, they have brought Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson and Todd Murphy to form a strong alliance with the seasoned spinner Nathan Lyon.

On their last tour to India, Lyon found a great partner-in-crime in Steve O'Keefe, and the duo drilled India at Pune in 2017 with their wily spin. The latter is not part of Australia's squad this time, but he has picked the latest entrant as his dark horse.

"Todd Murphy is going to be a superstar. I said that about Steve Smith in 2010. You just knew something was special there. The reason I say that (about Todd Murphy) is that he has got the ability to get the ball overspinning, it's exactly what Nathan Lyon does. But he has also got a lot of tricks in his armoury. Square spin, which is important in over there in India, which is side spin that goes quicker through the air, and if it bites, it spins sharply," O'Keefe told ESPNcricinfo.

The former Australia tweaker went praise Murphy's skillset and the level of his mental maturity.

"When you speak to Todd Murphy, you don't feel that he is 22. He knows as much about cricket as I do at 38. He has got a great armoury of skills, a lot of confidence and his best ball is good enough to challenge any batter in the world," O'Keefe said. 

With Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood probably not playing the Nagpur Test, the visitors are inclined to play two seamers and three spinners, hinting at Murphy making the cut.


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