Sydney:
Australia’s leg-spinner Adam Zampa said he would like to prioritise playing international cricket as he doesn’t get the same level of buzz when featuring in various T20 franchise leagues around the world. Zampa was due to play for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024, but pulled out of the competition due to fatigue reasons. After last playing international cricket in February, Zampa will be seen in action for Australia in the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA from June 1.
“I’ve really come to love playing for Australia. I always loved it, but playing under Dan Vettori, Andrew McDonald and Pat and Mitch as captains, it is just so enjoyable. I make good money playing for Australia and I would love to prioritise playing for Australia and being with my family.”
“I don’t get enough out of franchise cricket. It’s great for certain aspects of your life, and it can be really enjoyable, but it’s not like being in the Aussie dressing room, not for me anyway. I don’t get the same buzz out of it,” said Zampa to ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’.
The leg-spinner revealed he had thoughts about being a globe-trotting T20 leagues player, but is now content with not being part of that bandwagon. “There’s always a lot of chat about ‘can you play franchise cricket all year round’ and it was something I had thought about – at what age do I get through to try to then play a bit of franchise cricket.”
“But after 2023 and winning the World Cup and all that, and having a young family now as well, I’ve realised I want to play cricket for as long as I can, and instead of trying to play for nine or 10 months of the year, it’s play for six or seven,” he added.
Australia will play its 2024 men’s T20 World Cup games in Trinidad and then Barbados where Zampa will reunite with left-arm spin all-rounder Ashton Agar, who was in the squad during the side’s triumphant campaign in the 2021 edition in the UAE (but played just one game). Agar also missed Australia’s 2023 men’s ODI World Cup title-winning run in India due to a calf injury.
“I feel like there’s a little bit of unfinished business. Ash missed out on the last World Cup, he didn’t play during the World Cup we won in Dubai, and I really think this is his World Cup to put his stamp on.”
“I think the wickets are going to suit him, and I think he can play a major role. We feed off each other, we make each other train better, we think about the game a lot more when we’re around each other. So it’s great to have him back,” added Zampa.
He signed off by saying leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha is a big future prospect for Australia. Sangha was in contention to be a travelling reserve for Australia until he suffered a hip flexor injury during a training camp in Brisbane.
“He’s had a lot of niggles and injuries in the last couple of years that he’s found it hard to get any continuous cricket in, but he’s years ahead of where I was at his age. Even now, I think ‘I wish I could do that’ and ‘I wish I had that part of his bowling’. He’s really smart and certainly going to have a long career for Australia.”
“I’m pretty glad that I’m 10 years older than him, not five because I feel like there’d be a time where I’d be in the classifieds (looking for a new job). I’m 32 now and the way things are going, hopefully I get a bit more time playing for Australia – but I won’t be 38 and trying to hold on because I know Tanveer is going to be pretty special,” concluded Zampa.
–IANS
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