Australia should stick with leg spinner Mitchell Swepson for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, even in conditions that would traditionally favour picking a finger spinner to partner Nathan Lyon.
That’s the opinion of former Test bowler Steve O’Keefe, who believes the time invested in Swepson over the years should make him the first choice for the opening Test in Galle.
The leg spinner debuted in Pakistan in March, taking two wickets at 133. The conditions in Karachi and Lahore didn’t necessarily suit the 28-year-old, who also had several catches dropped off his bowling.
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While Australia appears to be edging towards a recall for left-armer Jon Holland, O’Keefe urged selectors to give Swepson another chance.
“Mitch has been a project player for as long as I can remember,” O’Keefe told Wide World of Sports.
“He debuted in tough conditions, so I think they need to find out whether Mitch is the guy they want to take the team forward.
“Given they’ve been backing him for so long, I think they almost have to play him. What would it do to Mitch’s confidence to debut in Pakistan, then miss out in Sri Lanka in spinning conditions?
“I’d like to see Swepson play in combination with Nathan Lyon and see if those guys can form a partnership, it’s a chance for Mitch to show he’s good enough and to get some confidence and grow as a player.”
O’Keefe explained that the potential upside in Swepson’s long-term development overrode the natural inclination to pick a left-arm spinner as Lyon’s partner.
“History will show you that finger spin is likely to be more effective, just because of the increased accuracy,” he noted.
“On pitches that spin, the natural variation and accuracy of a finger spinner means you’re attacking the stumps more than a wrist spinner.
“I suspect they’ll pick a left-armer, and Jon Holland or Matt Kuhnemann will do just as good a job, but I just don’t think you can ignore the fact you’ve had Swepson around the squad for so long.
“This is his time to prove he’s good enough to win games for Australia.”
Holland, who debuted in Galle in 2016 as a replacement for the injured O’Keefe, played the last of his four Tests in 2018.
He was again a late addition to the squad this time around, with Ashton Agar straining his side.
Holland sat out training on Monday to rest a sore spinning finger, leaving O’Keefe puzzled as to why he wasn’t in Sri Lanka from the start.
“Looking from the outside in, I’m a little bit unsure why Holland wasn’t on the Australia A tour if he’s next in line after Agar,” he said.
“It’s a big ask for Jon to get up and play a five-day Test match when his preparation has been limited to one Australia A match and then time in the nets.
“If he’s in the frame, even second or third in line, surely he goes for the A series to get the overs under his belt. I don’t understand the logic of leaving him at home, he should have been over there to start with.
“It takes time to get your body right, your fingers callous over the summer and by the end they’re rock hard and you feel like you can bowl all day.
“It’s the little things like that that might seem innocuous but it can make a big difference.”
While 35-year-old Holland appears most likely to partner the 34-year-old Lyon in Galle, O’Keefe pointed to the 20-something spinners also in Sri Lanka as evidence that the future is bright.
“All the spinners that are over there can do the job. For the first time in a long while there’s actually a stockpile of spinners,” he said.
“I think Todd Murphy is an exceptional off-spinner, Matt Kuhnemann has already impressed over in Sri Lanka, and I haven’t even mentioned Tanveer Sangha.
“There’s good times ahead.”
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