Australian spin bowler Adam Zampa is still optimistic about wearing the prestigious Baggy Green cap, even though he hasn’t played many first-class matches lately. Zampa, who is an important player for Australia in limited-overs cricket, thinks his recent performance and experience would make him a good choice for Test matches, especially in countries like India.
Zampa’s hopes for playing Test cricket started to grow last year when he was considered a strong candidate for Australia’s Test tour in India. But the selectors chose Queensland’s Mitchell Swepson instead, which was disappointing for Zampa, but he hasn’t given up.
“I believe there’s still a possibility for me to play in Test cricket,” he said on the Final Word podcast. “If I were currently playing a lot of Shield cricket and bowling as I am, I think I’d perform well. The few matches I’ve played over the past couple of years show that.”
The 31-year-old leg-spinner has only played two first-class games since 2019, both for New South Wales, after returning to the state in 2020 following a seven-year period with South Australia. His focus on shorter formats has reduced his chances in the longer format, but Zampa is confident that his abilities would adapt well to Test cricket, despite having a first-class bowling average of 46.98.
Zampa’s chance to play in Test matches might still happen, as Australia has a two-Test series planned in Sri Lanka next year. This could be his opportunity. The team selectors are likely to bring different spin bowlers to help Nathan Lyon, and Zampa’s experience and current performance might make him a useful addition. Usually, teams don’t pick two spin bowlers for home Test matches, but Zampa might also get a chance in the Sheffield Shield, especially around the time when Pakistan will visit in November for one-day and T20 matches.
Zampa knows that if he gets selected, many people will look closely at his performance, especially because of his past record in first-class games. He said, “Even if I get chosen for the upcoming tours in the subcontinent, people might say my average of 46 with the ball isn’t good enough. I’m sure they’ll say that, but if I do get picked, I believe my current bowling form will be okay.”
Whether or not Zampa gets to play Test cricket, he has stated that his main goal is to play for Australia in international matches. After the excitement of winning the 2023 ODI World Cup, Zampa decided not to play in the IPL and Major League Cricket this year, showing his dedication to the national team. He has also signed a two-year contract with Cricket Australia, choosing to focus on playing for his country rather than joining a franchise.
“I was fortunate to be part of a World Cup-winning team,” he mentioned. “Looking ahead, playing for a franchise isn’t what I want. I want to continue playing for Australia for as long as possible, because the feeling of winning with that team is something I really enjoy. I’m fortunate to have signed a two-year contract with Australia, and that’s because I want to play every game for my country. This means I had to make some choices about not playing for franchise teams.”
Zampa, the only Australian male bowler with more than 100 wickets in T20 international matches, keeps performing well in this shortest cricket format. He is now playing for Oval Invincibles in a competition called The Hundred, where he shares the top spot for most wickets taken. But his main focus is still on the Australian national team, and he is eager to help them win in all types of cricket games.
Zampa is getting ready for Australia’s next trip to the UK, which includes three T20 games against Scotland, three more against England, and five one-day international matches. He still hopes to play in Test matches too.
