Simon Katich Worried For 'Next Generation Of Spinners' As Both Australia & England Opt For...

Neither Australia nor England selected a frontline spinner for the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG, marking a significant shift in how spin bowlers are utilised in Australia, according to former Australian batter Simon Katich.

Despite having full-time spinners available — Australia’s Todd Murphy and England’s Shoaib Bashir — neither team included them in their starting lineups. Murphy’s exclusion is particularly noteworthy as it is the first time since 1888 that Australia has not fielded a spinner at the SCG.

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This is the fourth time in the past six Test matches and the first time since 1888 in the history of SCG Tests that Australia has not included a full-time spinner. This situation

has raised concerns for Katich about its potential impact on the development of future spin bowlers.

What Did Simon Katich Say?

“It’s amazing to think that both teams are without a front-line spinner (for a Sydney Test). I know in my time that would have been absolutely unheard of. But you can’t blame the selectors or Steve Smith for going down the track they have,” Katich was quoted as saying to SEN Cricket.

“Because you look at the conditions and you think, ‘Well, unless this deteriorates significantly in the next day or so, because this Test might only last three and a bit days’. So, it’s a really worrying sign in terms of how we are going to develop the next generation of spinners to play Test Cricket for Australia if we keep playing in conditions around the country where none of them are suitable to bowl for any length of time. It’s a worrying trend,” he added.

The action at the SCG will continue on Monday, with England finishing Day 1 on 211/3, thanks to an unbeaten 154-run fourth-wicket partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook. Root remained not out with a score of 72, while Brook scored an unbeaten 78, helping the visitors recover from an early collapse.

(With inputs from Agencies)