Will Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa burst on to Test cricket?
Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa is keen to make his Test debut on Australia's tour to Sri Lanka early next year. Despite featuring in three First-Class matches this decade, Zampa feels he is now a better red-ball bowler than ever. His recent performance in the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania, where he took four wickets for New South Wales (NSW), strengthens his case for selection.
Limited First-Class cricket due to white-ball commitments
Zampa's limited First-Class appearances have mostly been due to his white-ball commitments, a situation also encountered by Glenn Maxwell in Victoria. His recent return to the Sheffield Shield after a gap since February 2023, has ignited a debate among cricket pundits like Ed Cowan and Mark Taylor. They questioned his selection over Tanveer Sangha for the NSW team.
Test debut aspirations and career reflections
Zampa has shown interest in challenging himself with a Test debut and sees the upcoming Sri Lanka tour as a possible opportunity. "It's something I'd like to do and challenge myself at. If I got to end my career and it didn't pan out that way then I'd be okay with it," he said. He also reflected on his career, saying he might not have given his all but is now ready to fully commit.
Evolution as a cricketer and future prospects
Zampa has admitted he has evolved as a cricketer. He was keen to play First-Class cricket early on. "I bowled a lot more bad balls than I do now. I wasn't confident with my own reading of the game where as now I feel like I can read guys a lot better and have less mental fog," he said. Overall, he has 115 wickets at 46.56 in First-Class cricket, while this decade he has taken 10 wickets at 28.7.
Zampa's potential role in Sri Lanka tour
Despite the uncertainty over his selection for the Blues's next game against Western Australia, Zampa is hopeful about his Sri Lanka tour role. He hinted if selected, he could be a great asset to Australia's bowling with his leg spin. "If I do play over there it's potentially as a third spinner, maybe one quick and you play one of each (type of spin)," Zampa said.
