Four-Test legspinner Mitchell Swepson says it “sucks” seeing Australian Test selectors overlook front-line tweakers, urging curators and officials to buck the growing trend of producing pitches that heavily favour seam bowlers.

Australia are without a specialist spinner at the SCG for the first time in 138 years after Nathan Lyon’s injury replacement Todd Murphy was left out of the Ashes series finale.

It is the fourth time Australia have opted against playing a tweaker in their past six Tests.

In stark contrast, Australia played a spinner in all but one of their 120 Tests between the start of April 2013 and the end of June 2025.

“I won’t be careful — it sucks,” said Queensland legspinner Swepson, who made his four Test appearances on Australia’s tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2022.

“I’m obviously biased, but I think we’ve seen it coming in Sheffield Shield cricket.

“We see less and less spin bowlers coming into the game, particularly in certain parts of the country, and that’s what we’re now seeing a little bit with the Test arena.

“We’re seeing greener wickets and seam being the main source of wickets, and it’s such a shame because there’s definitely a spot for spin bowling in Test cricket.

“I grew up watching Shane Warne bowl around the wicket into pizzas at the SCG and Stuart MacGill ragging them sideways.

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

Australia and England have hardly given spinners a look-in this summer, with tweakers contributing just 14.2 per cent of overs bowled across the first four Ashes Tests.

In that time, the spinners combined for just nine wickets.

Swepson suspects Australian cricket is more concerned about pitches that flatten out and produce draws, rather than decks that lead to matches finishing early.

But that call comes as Cricket Australia considers stepping in to ensure pitches are produced for Tests to last into days four and five, after losing an estimated $15 million through shortened Ashes contests this summer.

“Talking to older guys in Shield cricket … they talk about batting for two days on an absolute road and then all of sudden chunks are coming out of the wicket,” Swepson said.

“I couldn’t tell you the last time I played a Shield game like that.

“It’s a real shame and I’d love to see it come back that way, but somewhere in the country has to be prepared to do that and be prepared to make those sort of wickets.

“I don’t know who’s going to do that first or whether it’s a CA thing or what it is, but it would be great to see that happen again.”

Swepson believes not encouraging spin bowlers through selection will be to Australia’s long-term detriment, bemoaning the fact Murphy was left out of Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.

“The best way you learn is experience and getting out there and playing,” Swepson said.

“For example, it would’ve been great for Toddy (Murphy) to just play this game if that’s who they’re thinking for the Tests away (from home).

“If he’s the one that’s going to get the nod, it would be great for him to have gotten that experience in this SCG Test match.”

Swepson, 32, has also played three ODIs and eight T20Is for Australia, and remains eager to return to the international arena.

“While I’m strapping these boots on I’m always wanting to play for Australia,” he said after featuring for the Melbourne Stars in their BBL derby loss on Sunday night.

“Every cricketer should have that goal, I feel like.

“And that’s all formats — I’m always trying my best to get back in the green and gold or the baggy green.”

-AAP