"Murphy has to play" - Mark Taylor calls for the off-spinner to be in the Australian XI for the final Ashes Test

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor vouched for the selection of Todd Murphy in the Australian XI for the final Ashes Test at the Oval, starting Thursday, July 27.

Murphy played the third Test at Headingley after veteran spinner Nathan Lyon was ruled out of the series with a calf injury after the second game. However, the young off-spinner picked up only one wicket in less than ten overs of bowling throughout the match.

This resulted in the visitors going with an all-seam attack in the fourth Test with the return of Cameron Green, a move that backfired with England posting a mammoth 592 in the first innings.

In his column for the Sydney Morning Herald, Taylor wanted Australia to go in with a more positive approach.

"Australia need to go into the last Test with a more positive attitude than Manchester. First and foremost, what is the best way that they win the game? Murphy has to play. We’ve seen Moeen Ali get some important breakthroughs for England in this series and it does spin a bit at the Oval," he said.

The former Ashes-winning captain called for more variety in the bowling attack with the inclusion of Murphy, even if it meant dropping all-rounder Cameron Green.

"You need a change of pace, and we’ve got to show some faith in Murphy. Then pick the side around that. If it means that Cameron Green doesn’t play because you have to play Mitchell Marsh after his terrific batting in the past two Tests then so be it," he added.

Green has struggled thus far in the series, scoring only 103 runs in three matches at an average of 20.60 with no half-centuries.

The talented all-rounder missed the third Test, with replacement Mitchell Marsh scoring a scintillating century in the first innings of the game. Marsh has looked in supreme touch since, with 228 runs in the two games he has played at an average of 76.

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"An area Australia need to think more about" - Mark Taylor

Aussie bowlers were befuddled against England's onslaught in the fourth Test.

Mark Taylor questioned Australia's tactics of persisting with short-pitched bowling even to No. 11 batter James Anderson in the Manchester Test. Anderson defied the Aussie bowlers with Jonny Bairstow in a last-wicket partnership of 66 in England's sensational first-innings batting display.

However, the former Australian captain was critical of them having all their fielders back for Anderson while pointing to England's field placement for Travis Head.

"If you look at Travis Head, he got out to a short ball, but England had a man in the gully to catch him. You’ve still got to have people in the ring. That’s an area Australia need to think more about. The other thing is the obvious plan of last man Anderson," said Taylor.

Taylor felt that success with the short ball ploy earlier in the series led to the Australians persisting with a similar tactic despite the hammering by the English batters.

"Couldn’t believe Australia bowled so short for so long to Jimmy, and he was eventually out lbw anyway. Tailenders miss the ball, so the stumps are in play. Just feel Australia have been carried away with the short stuff. I think one of the reasons is because they've had some success with it on this tour at times, but it’s become our go-to position too quickly and too often," added Taylor.

After thrilling victories in the opening two Tests, Australia have looked shaky in their defeat in the third game and the drawn match at Manchester. Despite that, they still have an opportunity to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2001 at the Oval.