Australian spinner Adam Zampa admitted that he wants to earn the baggy green on the upcoming Test tour of India, for which he has already begun his hunt in the Sheffield Shield 2022-23.
The white-ball specialist returned to the Sheffield Shield on December 1 after a gap of three years, taking 3 for 57 in the first innings for New South Wales against Victoria.
Now, the 30-year-old leg-spinner is planning to bowl more than ever in the upcoming Big Bash League 2022–23, starting on December 13, and then in the Sheffield Shield in a bid to impress the national selectors and get selected in Australia’s Test squad for the India tour next year.
Well, Zampa feels he is now an improved bowler and could prove valuable in subcontinent conditions with the red ball.
Adam Zampa told reporters: “It's there, it's in the mind. I played that Shield game for a reason and it was really nice to play a little bit of red-ball cricket and get the workloads up. I was just curious as to how it would feel and how it would go.”
He continued, “My game's progressed, particularly in the last three years, to be valuable to the red-ball team. I know my record doesn't really speak for itself - it definitely doesn't - but I feel like I've improved could potentially suit those conditions.”
Meanwhile, Zampa will be fighting with the veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon for a spot in Australia’s Test squad. However, the spinner admitted that there are very little chances of him getting the opportunity on India tour, as Australia have multiple options in Mitchell Swepson, Todd Murphy, Ashton Agar, Matthew Kuhnemann and Tanveer Sangha.
He signed off by saying, “I’ll never be Nathan Lyon, who is the No.1 spinner in the Australian team wherever you are in the world. I know that. But in a series and a squad where you’re going to have multiple spinners and you’re going to need options, then I know that I’d be a chance. Hence why I’m keen to get on that tour if it happens, but it won’t be like that forever. There’s not sub-continent tours every year, they’re every few years, so I know that my chances are limited.”
Australia will play four Test matches against India in February-March 2023.
(With PTI Inputs)
