Self-belief keeps Zampa buoyant through setbacks

An ODI record that puts him in the same bracket as the likes of World Cup-winning wrist-spinners Shane Warne and Brad Hogg is the key to Adam Zampa's unflagging self-belief, despite a career that has provided its fair share of setbacks.

Zampa, the lone specialist spinner in Australia's current one-day squad taking on India, has been his country's most successful tweaker over the past four years in ODIs.

“I try and take a lot of confidence from the fact that there’s probably not a lot of wrist spinners in Australia that have the record that I have,” Zampa told cricket.com.au.

“I guess when I’m going through a bad trot, I just think I’ve played 50 games and got 60-odd wickets.”

Since Zampa’s February 2016 debut against New Zealand, only Mitchell Starc (85 wickets) has taken more ODI wickets for Australia than the wrist-spinner, whose 66 scalps have come at 36.6 apiece.

And the 27-year-old sits behind only Shane Warne (291) and Brad Hogg (156) as Australia’s leading wrist-spinning wicket-takers, a fact that isn’t lost on Zampa.

“We haven’t really had a lot of wrist spinners with success in one-day cricket," he said.

“I think a lot of people don’t really realise how much one-day cricket has changed.”

Zampa missed the majority of Australia's World Cup campaign in the United Kingdom earlier this year, which ended in a semi-final defeat to England, losing his spot to fellow spinner Nathan Lyon.

The leg-spinner took five wickets in four matches (of a possible 10), but his stellar form in last year’s ODI tour of India where he yielded 11 scalps in five matches has seen him return to the top of the selector’s minds.

And his recent KFC BBL form, in which he's currently the season's most economical bowler, has served as a timely reminder of his limited-overs prowess.

He claimed one-day cricket’s most prized scalp Virat Kohli a record equalling sixth time in ODIs during Mumbai’s series opener.

“He's one of the toughest guys I've ever had to bowl to … tomorrow I think he will be even more switched on, it's a big challenge.”

“I’ve got him out four times in the last year or so it’s nice to have that confidence to bowl to him at the start of his innings.”

Australia take on India in the second ODI of the three-match series in Rajkot on Friday evening.

Australia Qantas ODI Tour of India 2020

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa

India squad: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami.

First ODI: Australia win by 10 wickets in Mumbai

Second ODI: January 17, Rajkot (D/N) (Fox & Kayo)

Third ODI: January 19, Bengaluru (D/N) (Fox & Kayo)