"You’ve got to bring your spinner in early" - Mark Taylor wants Pat Cummins to show more belief in Todd Murphy

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor has urged Pat Cummins to show more belief in his spinner Todd Murphy in the ongoing Ashes series. Taylor reflected on how the youngster got Ben Stokes' wicket, albeit going for runs.

Murphy, who played his first Ashes Test at Headingley instead of the injured Nathan Lyon, had a very minimal role. The Victorian bowled only 9.3 overs in the entire game, including 7.3 in the first innings for Stokes' scalp before going for five sixes.

The 58-year-old felt Cummins shouldn't bring Murphy for one over, unlike seen at Headingley as he deserves confidence in his match-winning abilities.

The former opener told the Sydney Morning Herald:

"It’s very tough. I would’ve liked to see him bowl before lunch, and I don’t mean one over before lunch, I thought three or four before lunch when we got those couple of wickets and Ben Stokes came straight to the crease. I think you’ve got to bring your spinner in early to give them some belief that they’re in this, they’re part of the way we’re going to win the Test match. You saw what Pat did in the first innings by bowling him at the end, to Ben Stokes."

Taylor added:

"He got him out eventually. Yes, he hit him for a couple of sixes, but he nearly had him caught at long off when he was less than 50. So I think you’ve got to bring your slow bowler in to try to create opportunities."

With Australia defending only 251 in the fourth innings, Cummins relied more on his pacers to bowl England out. While Mitchell Starc got a fifer, the tourists were unsuccessful in preventing an England win.

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"Australia can think about playing two all-rounders" - Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor. (Image Credits: Getty)

Mark Taylor further claimed that the tourists can drop Todd Murphy if Old Trafford offers another seamer-friendly track and instead play two all-rounders. He stated:

"It was a low scoring game, no score over 260-odd for the game, which makes it harder for your slow bowlers. So whether or not Australia are going to need him for Old Trafford could depend on the pitch. If we get something similar [to Headingley] and Australia aren’t going to use him, I think he’s only bowled nine overs for the game, Australia can think about playing two all-rounders."

With England threatening a stunning turnaround in the series, Australia will be keen to retain the urn in the fourth Test.