"I'm very disappointed" - Adam Zampa on missing out on India tour selection
Australia's white-ball specialist and leg-spinner Adam Zampa has expressed disappointment about missing out on the squad for India's Test tour. The South Australian revealed that he expected to be on that tour, given how his career has played out.
Zampa, who is yet to play a Test, was not one of the spinners chosen by the selectors. Instead, Mitchell Swepson pipped him as the sole leg-spinner on the tour, with Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, and Ashton Agar joining him.
An 18-player Test squad has been assembled for the Qantas Tour of India in February and March.
Congratulations to everyone selected! https://t.co/3fmCci4d9b
The leggie revealed that he had a conversation with coach Andrew McDonald and chief selector George Bailey who told him it was a close call. The 30-year-old stated that the signs were encouraging before his snub. He said, as quoted by news.com.au:
"I was close. I got told from George Bailey and Andrew McDonald that it was one of the toughest decisions they had to make for the tour. I’m very disappointed, I would have loved to be on it.
"I thought with the way I’ve been going in international cricket in particular this was going to be my opportunity. That was the messaging I got six weeks ago, this could be a very good chance I could be on it."
The South Australian has modest first-class numbers, taking 108 wickets at 47.90. He played in the most recent Sheffield Shield fixture to put himself in contention for the India tour.
"I don’t know what’s next for me" - Adam Zampa
While Zampa admitted he will not give up on playing Test cricket this soon, he feels the future is uncertain, given Australia will next play in the sub-continent in 2025. He explained:
"I was really excited to be on this tour. I thought I’d give it a crack and the messaging was my style of bowling might have been handy over there. I don’t know what’s next for me. It’s two and a half years until the next subcontinent tour.
"I’m not going to close the door completely. Life is always about balance and I have a family. I have to think about what’s best."
The first Test between Australia and India will start on February 9 in Nagpur.