- Adam Zampa wants to play Test cricket for Australia
- Sits behind Nathan Lyon in the red ball pecking order
- Is Australia’s leading spin bowler in white-ball matches
Adam Zampa claims he is now a better red-ball bowler than at any time in his career, despite playing just three first-class matches this decade.
Zampa, 32, this week boosted his squad for Australia’s upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, taking four wickets in the NSW Sheffield Shield loss to Tasmania.
White-ball commitments have often made Zampa unavailable for first-class matches, as is the case with Glenn Maxwell in Victoria.
The leg-spinner’s first Shield match since February 2023 attracted some criticism, with former Australian players Ed Cowan and Mark Taylor questioning why he was picked ahead of youngster Tanveer Sangha.
But Zampa is still believed to have entered Australia’s considerations for the Sri Lanka tour, which looms as one of his last chances for a Test debut.
‘It’s something I want to do and challenge myself. “If I had to end my career and it didn’t turn out that way, I would be okay with it,” he said.
“Maybe one day I’ll look back and feel like maybe I didn’t give it 100 percent.
“I feel like playing these games and putting my hand up for the Sri Lanka tour and being excited about that is fine.
Adam Zampa believes he is now a better red-ball bowler than at any time in his career – despite playing just three first-class matches this decade (pictured, with wife Hattie)
Zampa, 32, boosted his squad during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka this week, taking four wickets in the NSW Sheffield Shield loss to Tasmania (pictured)
‘When I’m on that tour it’s important that I get some miles in my legs and it’s not a huge shock to the system because it was a Sunday.’
It is unclear whether Zampa will be picked to play in the Blues’ next match, another match at the SCG against Western Australia early next month.
The 32-year-old’s belief that he did not give himself a ‘100 per cent crack’ in selection stems from the fact that most of his red-ball cricket came early in his career.
His overall first-class record is 115 wickets at an average of 46.56, compared to 10 scalps at 28.7 in his three matches this decade.
“I wanted to play a lot of first-class cricket when I was young, but I probably wasn’t good enough or as confident as I am now,” Zampa said.
‘I have bowled a lot more bad balls than I have now. I wasn’t confident in my own reading of the game, but now I feel like I can read guys a lot better and have less mental fog.
“It means you can have a bit more resilience on day one wickets when you’re trying to close out.”
Zampa is also aware that his Shield record may not be relevant to selection given the difference in wickets between Australia and the subcontinent.
Meanwhile, Australia have named Beau Webster in their squad for the Adelaide Test, starting on December 6, as cover for all-rounder Mitch Marsh
For him it’s more about miles in the legs.
But he does believe he can add value in Sri Lanka if Australia opts for the variety of leg spin alongside Nathan Lyon’s off-spin and Matt Kuhnemann’s possible left-arm finger spin.
“When I play there, it’s possible as a third spinner, maybe one quick one and you play one of each (type of spin),” Zampa said.
“I think you’ll have a (left-arm) finger spinner spinning it off the bat because that tends to be more successful in the subcontinent.”
Meanwhile, Australia have named Beau Webster in their squad for the Adelaide Test, which starts on December 6, as cover for all-rounder Mitch Marsh.