Dubai: Adam Zampa, the Australian leg spinner conspicuous for his golden locks - much like his legendary predecessor Shane Warne in his youth - is looking to hunt in pairs with Yuzvendra Chahal for his IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals this season.
The ongoing white ball series against England, which will conclude with the last One-day International on Wednesday, has helped him gain valuable match time ahead of the demanding league set to be played in the UAE from Saturday. Zampa has been in remarkable form as he has taken seven wickets in the two ODIs he has played so far. In the first match, he took a four-wicket haul while in the second, he scalped three wickets.
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In the recently concluded T20I series between these two sides, Zampa bowled the penultimate over in the second T20I, but he was not to get the job done for his side.
“I really enjoy bowling at the death, I love those pressure overs especially when the game is on the line. They needed (18) to win off the last two overs (in the second T20) and I told Finchy I should bowl it. It obviously didn’t go to plan but I’m not going to change my attitude after one game,” Zampa said.
Looking ahead at the IPL, Zampa said in an interview with cricket.com.au: “I’ve got a really good opportunity in the IPL bowling with Yuzvendra Chahal at RCB and I might get the opportunity to bowl those overs just because of the way the team is structured. I really enjoy bowling with another leg-spinner so it’s going to be a really good opportunity to bowl with Chahal. We have similar traits but can learn a little bit from each other as well.”
Zampa, who earned the sobriquet of a ‘Patrick Swayze with long hair’ after the deceased Hollywood actor during the T20 series by one of the TV commentators, was named as a late replacement for Kane Richardson by the RCB management. Richardson pulled out of the tournament as he and his wife are expecting the birth of their first child.
Zampa’s entry has strengthed RCB’s spin attack which already comprises of Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar. Moeen Ali, Pawan Negi, and the uncapped Shahbaz Ahmed are the other spin options in the RCB squad and skipper Virat Kohli will need to fall back on them heavily on the slower UAE wickets.
The upcoming IPL will be Zampa’s second stint for a franchise as he had previously played the tournament for the now defunct Rising Pune Supergiants. He had taken 19 wickets from 11 matches at an economy rate of 7.54. for them.
