Aussie leg-spinner Adam Zampa on Tuesday stated that playing Test cricket is still the ultimate goal for him. However, inclusion in Australia’s red-ball squad seems unlikely for him as of now as he has just featured in three Sheffield Shield matches in the last couple of seasons and picked up just five wickets in them.
“For me playing Test cricket is still the ultimate goal. Over the last few years, it’s probably really easy for people to pinpoint me as a white-ball bowler. I’ve played most of the white-ball games for Australia over the last few years so it’s really limited my first-class opportunities so I really want to change people’s perceptions,” ESPNCricinfo quoted Zampa as saying.
“I know my first-class record doesn’t really speak for itself but over the last three years when I haven’t really been playing first-class cricket I’ve really improved as a bowler, so I’m looking to still get that baggy green,” he added.
Although Zampa has been a vital member of the Australian limited-overs side, he knows where he stands as far as his selection in the Test match side is concerned.
“The exposure to red-ball cricket hasn’t really been there and I guess with subcontinent tours, you have guys like Mitchell Swepson bowling really well and playing Shield cricket. You’ve got Ashton Agar who’s got a little bit experience as well. Jon Holland has been good in first-class cricket over the last few years,” Zampa said.
“I don’t really know what it’s like to bowl on a spinning wicket in Shield cricket. The closest thing I’ve had to a spinning wicket is Adelaide Oval when it’s green and thatchy and that limits the number of overs you bowl as well. I think there should be an emphasis put on it,” he added.
Zampa last featured in the first ODI match of the three-match series against New Zealand. The leggie did manage to take two wickets in the first ODI but the remaining matches were postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.