Adam Zampa, Australia leg-spinner, World Cup 2019 Player Full Profile: With his accuracy and subtle variations, Zampa's wrist spin could prove vital

A 16-year-old Adam Zampa was picked in his state U 17 teams as a batsman, but the lack of opportunities with the bat prompted him to try leg-spin. The blonde hair and action that resembled Shane Warne attracted plenty of action. However, it wasn’t until he moved from his native state of New South Wales to South Australia that things started to fall into place.

Zampa’s outstanding 2015-16 Big Bash season for the Melbourne Stars earned him a national cap in the limited-overs format in 2016. Zampa proved his class in the 2016 IPL by taking 16 wickets and would soon become a permanent member of the national squad. For 18 months, he was Australia’s primary spinner in the ODI setup before an ordinary series against India in late 2017 led to him being dropped. It took a bit of cajoling from Glenn Maxwell during the Big Bash to build Zampa’s confidence and earn a recall back into the setup.

One of Zampa’s greatest strengths is his accuracy. He relies on subtle variations such as the slider, top-spinner and the googly to lure the batsman into a false stroke. After 44 matches, Zampa has taken 60 wickets at 35.45. The numbers are not staggering, but a stunning tour of India proved that he can match it with the most elite batsmen in the world.

In the wrist spin era, Zampa is the best leg-spinner in Australia and if he needs to make a mark on the World Cup, he needs to continue to take wickets during the middle stages. One of Zampa’s weaknesses is he still has a tendency to bowl a short tracker or a full toss every two overs. If he can eradicate that loose ball, he is bound to be effective at the World Cup.

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