Adam Zampa's Test aspirations have probably passed him by: David Hussey

Former Australian all-rounder David Hussey believes Adam Zampa's hopes of playing red-ball cricket were likely killed by his rejection from Australia's Test squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. Despite being assured a Test selection for the India tour, white-ball veteran Hussey, 45, was agitated by Zampa's absence.

Zampa was disappointed that he did not make Australia's Test squad's top four spinners. In an emotional interview on January 13, the spinner, who has enjoyed enormous success in recent years in the white-ball formats, expressed doubts about his position in the game's longest format. The four spinners who made it to Australia’s squad are Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson, and Todd Murphy, who earned a maiden call-up ahead of Zampa.

“He (Zampa) played a red-ball Shield game for New South Wales against Victoria at the Junction Oval just prior to the Big Bash starting and he bowled particularly well. I think all reports from (head coach Andrew) McDonald and (chairman of selectors) George Bailey (was that) he (Zampa) was going to be going to India,” Hussey told SEN Radio on Thursday.

I think he would do an excellent job: Hussey

Australia will be touring India from February 9, 2023, and the two sides will play four Test matches as part of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The four-game series will also be the last for both sides in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, with both teams being the leading contenders to make it to the final. David Hussey believes that Zampa would have done brilliantly in India, had he been included in the squad.

“Unfortunately for Adam (Zampa) he didn't get the nod, but personally I think he would do an excellent job. Not too dissimilar to Anil Kumble, who was a fine bowler for India for many a year. Purely a sub-continent selection, I think he would have done a great job. But it would seem with his snub that his Test aspirations have probably passed him by,” Hussey added.

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