The future of spin bowling in test cricket is looking dim following the dominance seam bowling has shown on Australia’s pitches during the 2025-26 Ashes series.

Neither team picked a frontline spinner ahead of the fifth test at the SCG and it is not the first time this has happened this Ashes.

Australia elected not to play Nathan Lyon in Brisbane while England chose all-rounder Will Jacks – a move that has been repeated once again for the Sydney test.

The effect of spin bowling has wavered over the duration of the series, collecting a total of only 12 wickets between both sides so far.

Adelaide proved to have the best turn on any of the pitches played on, seeing Lyon pick up five wickets and Jacks picking up three.

Former England spinner Monty Panesar joined Sports Breakfast this morning, expressing his concerns for the future of spin in test cricket.

“Spin is gradually declining both in England and in Australia, and as they are two of the biggest powerhouses in test cricket it’s becoming like the dodo, spinners are becoming extinct,” he said.

“I’m bitterly disappointed to be honest… We want spin bowling to come alive, it’s one of the beautiful arts of the game.

“What it’s encouraging is if you’re a seamer, like a Neser type, bowl it on a length and nips it away… you’ll end up playing over a spinner.”

Panesar suggested the Kookaburra ball used in Australia may be a key factor in the dominance of seam bowling.

“They need to do something about it, maybe change the condition of the Kookaburra ball and there also needs to be less grass on the pitch,” he said.

“This pitch in Sydney has less movement off the surface, about five-six centimetres compared to the MCG which was like double the amount and that kind of sums it up for me that the ball is doing far too much for the seamers.”

Kookaburras have a softer seam which spinners may find difficult to grip in order to get the ball turning, but this means it can cause it to skid more boasting better performance from pace bowling. 

The Duke ball used in England for test cricket has a hand-stitched seam, giving bowlers extra grip and possessing lesser favouritism toward a style of bowling.

Nathan Lyon’s lack of selection throughout the series as one of the modern day greats of spin has set a dim precedent for the future of spin bowling and the attention selectors are giving it. 

Despite injury over the last couple of months, his axing at the Gabba left him seething on the sidelines.

“When you’ve got someone who’s taken someone who’s taken over 500 test wickets and just passed Glenn McGrath and he’s not featuring much in this Ashes, it’s a huge worry to think what is the future of spin bowling once he retires?” said Panesar.

The former spin bowler believes it is in the hands of the administrators and governing bodies to keep the art of spin bowling alive.

“It’s up to the administrators now, they’ve got to somehow find a way of getting spin back alive again, and if it’s to do with the pitches, maybe reduce the length of the grass on pitches and then it allows spinners to come into the game,” he said

“The spinners are the ones who always suffer in the game while the seamers, it’s okay to seam a lot and lose 20 wickets… That’s where they need to get that balance right between seamers and spinners.”

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