Zampa admits Test aspirations are diminished after India snub

Melbourne, Jan 14  A very flat Adam Zampa admitted that he will reassess his red-ball future after narrowly missing out on a spot in Australia’s Test squad travelling to India.
Told by selectors early in the summer his case for the tour was seriously considered, Zampa was beaten out by fellow leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson, as well as finger spinners Ashton Agar and Todd Murphy when the squad was named on Wednesday.
On top of his impressive international numbers across white-ball formats, Zampa claimed three wickets in a Sheffield Shield return in early December, to further push his case.
Speaking to the media while on Big Bash League duty as Melbourne Stars captain, Zampa admitted he is unsure whether a Test call-up will ever come after his latest omission.
“(I) don’t know what’s next for me now. I thought with the way I’ve been going in international cricket in particular that this was going to be my opportunity. I’m very disappointed. I would have loved to have been on it,” he said.
According to the 30-year-old, Australian coach Andrew McDonald and national selector George Bailey had earmarked his quicker style of leg-spin bowling as a potential point of difference in the series, ICC reported.
“I was really excited to potentially be on this tour, (and) give it a crack. The messaging was my style of bowling might have been handy over there. Potentially last minute that was a change of mind.
“That was the messaging I got six weeks ago as well – that this was going to be a very good chance – but now that I’m not (on the tour) I’m very flat about it and (it’s) time to move on from it.”
After the Border-Gavaskar trophy, Australia’s next red-ball assignment in Asia is not until mid-2025, when the side travel to Sri Lanka, part of the next World Test Championship.
For Zampa, attention will at this stage be centred on preparation for both the Cricket World Cup in India later this year, as well as the 2024 T20 World Cup, held across the USA and the West Indies.
“I’m not going to close the door completely to red-ball cricket.
“Life is always about balance and I’ve got a family and these white-ball tours and World Cups that are coming up so I’ve got to try and think about what’s best for my body, myself, my family.”
Australia’s four-Test series with India begins on February 9 with the two teams sitting in the top two spots on the World Test Championship standings.
Should the pair remain in the top two, they will play each other in the World Test Championship final in June at the Oval.