Adam Zampa display lights up cricket world as Aussies claim No.1 ranking

The cricket world has praised the influence of Adam Zampa in Australia's series-clinching victory against India after taking 4-45 in a game-changing partnership with fellow spinner Ashton Agar. Australia defeated India to clinch a 2-1 series win after the Aussie spinners turned the match when it appeared the hosts were in control at 2-146 in response to Australia's 269.

However, Agar dismissed Virat Kohli, who had made 54 off 72 balls, as Zampa ripped through the batting line-up, taking the wickets of Shubman Gill (37), KL Rahul (32), Hardik Pandya (40) and Ravindra Jadeja (18) as the Aussies won by 21 runs to win the series.

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Zampa was awarded the man-of-the-match honours after a brilliant spell, but was humble after the match and said his fellow bowling partner could have won the award instead. "Ashton Agar, he changed the game," Zampa said.

"I don't feel like I deserve this (man of the match) to be honest with you. For me to be able to do what I did at the end, it's kudos to the guys who bowled before me."

Zampa has been in sensational form over the last few years and was rewarded when he was nominated for the ICC ODI player of the year. Before this series, Zampa had taken 30 wickets at an average of 17.53 over the last 12 months.

While it has come as no surprise that Zampa was one of Australia's best on the turning wickets of India, many fans praised the leg-spinner in his rise to becoming one of the best short-form bowlers in the world.

Australia's innings was set up brilliantly with openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head blasting 10 boundaries and three sixes before they were dismissed for 47 and 33 runs respectively. The spinners were the difference in the second innings as India fell to an ODI series defeat for the first time since 2019.

In doing so Australia leapfrogged India and re-claimed the World No.1 ranking in ODIs. "It's always fun bowling with Zamps," Agar said after the match. "We're great mates. We have a pretty good time out there.

"We usually have a whisky in his room most nights and discuss how we're going to go about it. It paid off for us today."

Adam Zampa in Aussie cricket awards controversy

Zampa's latest performance only heightens the shock that he wasn't nominated for ODI player of the year at the recent Australian Cricket Awards. The leg-spinner was nowhere to be seen when the nominations for Aussie ODI player of the year were announced, with David Warner, Head and Steve Smith named ahead of him.

It sparked questions from Aussie cricket fans about what more Zampa needed to. Journalist Lachlan McKirdy tweeted: "Pretty surprised Adam Zampa wasn't nominated as one of the three best Aussie players in ODI cricket this year. 30 wickets at an average of 17.53. He was one of the nominees for the ICC ODI player of the year, but not the Aussie version."

Warner won the award, with the opener scoring a century and four half-centuries throughout the voting period, making the most runs amongst all Australian players in ODIs. However some questioned whether Head (550 runs) and Smith (539) were more deserving. They both scored fewer runs than Warner by a slight margin, however Head averaged 68.75 and Smith 67.37.

Regardless, Zampa will be heading into the World Cup in India later this year in sensational form and hoping he can make his mark on the world stage.

with AAP

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