Four-Test Australian leg-spinner Mitch Swepson refuses to be measured in his response to the country’s spin predicament.

Australia opting against a spinner is increasingly common, in fact, it’s the fourth time in six Tests the selectors have overlooked a slow-bowling option.

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But the decision to neglect Todd Murphy in the fifth Ashes Test at the once spin-friendly SCG stung the “spin brotherhood”.

Swepson was asked to assess the decision and playfully encouraged to answer the question carefully – but it was one he happily took on.

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“It sucks, mate. I won’t be careful, it sucks,” Swepson said after playing for the Melbourne Stars on Sunday night.

“Being a spin bowler I am obviously bias but I think we’ve seen it for a while now, seen it coming in (Sheffield) Shield cricket.

“We see less and less spin bowlers coming into games, particularly in certain parts of the country and I think that’s what we’re now seeing in the Test arena.

“You see greener wickets, you see seam be the main source of wickets and it’s such a shame because I think there’s a really good piece there, a spot for spin bowling in Test cricket.

“In other parts of the world it’s massive, it’s something I grew up on, watching Shane Warne around the wicket into pizzas (footmarks) at the SCG.

Todd Murphy (left) of Australia watches on during an Australia nets session at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 25, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“…It would be nice to bring that back but the way it’s going, at the moment, it looks like we’re going further and further away from that with the wickets we’re producing.

“I feel for Todd, he’s a great bowler … I am definitely a part of the spin brotherhood, I’d love to see it come back.”

Swepson says the reason behind a nationwide change in wickets is “the golden question” but suspects it could be to cut out the tedious draw.

“I think for me, we’re too worried about the wickets flattening out and getting no results than we are it being a two-day Test or Shield game,” Swepson said.

“It feels like we’d rather that and have a result than it be flat and deteriorate.

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“Talking to the older guys in Shield cricket, talking guys like ‘Uzzie’ (Usman Khawaja) that have been playing Shield cricket for a long time.

“They talk about batting for two days on an absolute road and then all of a sudden you’ve got chunks coming out of the wicket, really starting to rag.

“I couldn’t tell you the last time I played a Shield game like that so it’s a real shame, I’d love to see it come back that way.

“But somewhere in the country has to be prepared to do that and make those sort of wickets, and I don’t know who is going to do that first, or whether it’s a CA thing.”

Swepson played each of his four Test matches in 2022 with the last coming against Sri Lanka in Galle.

He vows to continue chasing international opportunities, even with the obstacles now facing spinners.

“Always, mate, always,” Swepson said.

“While I am strapping these boots on, I am always wanting to play for Australia – every cricketer should have that goal, I feel like.

“That’s all formats, I am always trying my best, I’d love to get back in the green and gold or in the baggy green but it is what it is.

“I’ve got to keep trying to perform for the Stars and for Queensland, and we’ll see what happens.”