The race to replace the injured Nathan Lyon for the crucial fourth Ashes Test is heating up, with Western Australia's in-form off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli emerging as a serious contender for a shock Baggy Green.
Sheffield Shield Form Puts Rocchiccioli in Contention
National selectors face a pivotal decision ahead of Tuesday's squad announcement for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. With Lyon likely sidelined due to a hamstring injury and captain Pat Cummins also a doubt, the door is open for a new spinner. Rocchiccioli finds himself in a three-way battle with Victoria's Todd Murphy and Tasmania's Matthew Kuhnemann for what is expected to be a single spinning berth.
The 28-year-old West Australian holds a significant advantage in one key area: consistent match play. Rocchiccioli is the only one of the trio to have played every Sheffield Shield match this summer, claiming 20 wickets in the process. Murphy has been involved in just four Shield games due to Australia A commitments, while Kuhnemann has managed only two.
A Self-Made Cricketer on a Meteoric Rise
Rocchiccioli's journey to the brink of Test selection is a remarkable tale of perseverance. After initially missing out on WA pathways, he balanced playing lower-grade Premier Cricket with working at Bunnings before his relentless work ethic propelled him through the ranks. He now boasts 48 first-class matches, including a stint with Warwickshire, and is a three-time Sheffield Shield winner.
His former coach and ex-Test spinner Beau Casson has been a close observer of his development. "You try and remove your bias... but for Corey, he's been the form spinner for four years," Casson told The West Australian. "He came in as a rookie-contracted player, a self-made player and he worked his backside off."
Casson highlighted Rocchiccioli's unique skill: "His best hard-spun off-break, there are not many blokes that can do what he does." He also praised the bowler's adaptability, noting his success on a variety of Australian pitches and his ability to bowl long, controlling spells that allow pacemen to rotate effectively.
The Selection Conundrum: Experience vs. Potential
The selectors' choice will be viewed as signalling a potential long-term successor to the 38-year-old Lyon, who has suffered injuries in consecutive Ashes series. Each candidate presents a different case.
- Todd Murphy has the experience of replacing Lyon during the 2023 Ashes in England.
- Matthew Kuhnemann impressed on the 2025 tour of Sri Lanka and, as a left-armer, could pose a specific threat to England's right-hand heavy batting line-up.
- Corey Rocchiccioli offers compelling current form, a repeatable stock ball that generates significant bounce and spin, and a style most reminiscent of Lyon's.
Former Australian opener Ed Cowan described Rocchiccioli as a "dark horse" for the role, pointing to his all-round package. "He has been on Australia A tours, he bats, he's won a shield game off his own bat recently, he's a great fielder, he gets bounce," Cowan said on the ABC Cricket Podcast.
While Cowan suggested picking Rocchiccioli might be "off-brand" for the current panel, he acknowledged the worth of the conversation. As the cricketing world waits for Tuesday's announcement, Corey Rocchiccioli's years of consistent dominance in the Sheffield Shield have placed him firmly in the frame for a life-changing Ashes debut.
