Zampa's vital effort lauded in run-fest

In a run-fest at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday night, Australia captain Aaron Finch says the frugal bowling of leg-spinner Adam Zampa was where his side won the match that sealed an inaugural T20I series triumph in India.

The hosts racked up 7-191 having been sent in by Finch but it could have been a lot more had it not been for Zampa, whose four overs cost only 23 runs and gave up just two boundaries against a Virat Kohli-led Indian onslaught.

In-form allrounder Glenn Maxwell then stole the show with a bruising 113no to see Australia home with two balls to spare, but after the match Finch made a point to single out Zampa's crucial display.

"It was an outstanding batting display but I think Adam Zampa was a huge difference in the game," Finch said.

"To go 0-23 on a wicket that didn't really suit too much spin was a hell of an effort.

"It was a great performance by him and the team. That batting group, obviously led by 'Maxi', was pretty good."

After a breakout 2016 when he was the world's leading ODI wicket-taker for the year, Zampa found himself in and out of Australia's limited-overs sides as selectors went for the left-arm spin of Ashton Agar or all pace attacks.

So Zampa played franchise cricket around the world where on flat pitches and small grounds he focused on two areas of his game: bowling quicker and developing his wrong 'un.

The added velocity and deception to his bowling has seen him develop twofold: first as a defensive bowler when the opposition is free flowing and secondly as a genuine wicket-taking option.

His dismissal of Kohli in the first T20I in Vizag has been largely overlooked, but it was that wicket that halted India's momentum and helped Australia restrict the hosts to a gettable total.

The 26-year-old is now a key figure in the various teams he plays for, including Australia as the country's premier T20 tweaker.

Maxwell captained Zampa at the Melbourne Stars this season and was full of praise for the tenacious leggie.

"He's an amazing bowler," Maxwell said.

"He's always striving to get better, finding ways to improve his game.

"He hasn't got the big turning leggie or the mystery spinner (element like) a Rashid Khan or a Sandeep (Lamichhane) but he's a successful bowler and he just does his craft so well and is so hard to get on top of for a batter.

"It doesn't matter if the batter has been in for 20 or 30 balls he's still able to get them off strike and keep them down.

"Credit to him, he keeps growing as a player and I had the pleasure of playing with him at the Stars the whole season and just seeing him go from different conditions every game and continually getting better and better is a real credit to him."

Qantas Tour of India

First T20: Australia won by three wickets

Second T20: Australia won by seven wickets

First ODI: March 2, Hyderabad

Second ODI: March 5, Nagpur

Third ODI: March 8, Ranchi

Fourth ODI: March 10, Mohali

Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi