(Sportzpics)
Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa has finally explained his decision to withdraw from the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL). He revealed that his concerns about the bio-bubble being compromised and doubts about the league’s longevity due to COVID-19 played a significant role in his decision.
The 2021 IPL was particularly challenging, with the tournament split into two legs—one in India and the other in the UAE—due to the pandemic. This arrangement posed difficulties for both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the players, who were required to remain within strict bio-bubbles.
Zampa, who was playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, withdrew from the tournament midway, along with his Australian teammate Kane Richardson. This decision attracted criticism from fans and pundits, who felt his absence created a significant gap in the RCB lineup, especially during the UAE leg.
In a recent appearance on The Final Word Cricket Podcast, Zampa has addressed the controversy surrounding his exit, explaining how a security breach involving a fan within the bio-bubble heightened his concerns about safety and contributed to his decision to leave the league.
“One day we were sitting by the pool and a fan came to ask for an autograph and the security came running. We thought if it was so easy to break the bubble, this competition would not last beyond this week.
“Let’s just tell the owners what we think about. Luckily we were on the plane to Melbourne via Qatar when Australia was locked out and the IPL was binned four days later.”
I was pretty tired – Adam Zampa
Adam Zampa added that during their quarantine, he and Kane Richardson watched on television as the COVID situation in India worsened. Feeling both concerned and exhausted, Zampa decided to opt out of the tournament.
“Looking back at the IPL that me and Kane pulled out of, we had done a week’s quarantine into India and putting on the telly and it was the ABC channel talking about the COVID situation in India.
“We looked at each other and were like “What are you gonna do?” He had a young family and we were pretty jaded from a year-long into quarantine anyway so I was pretty tired,” he concluded.
Adam Zampa, who was acquired by the Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2024, withdrew from the season prior to its start, citing personal reasons.
Throughout his IPL career, Zampa has played 20 matches and taken 29 wickets over four seasons. He has represented several teams, including Royal Challengers Bangalore (formerly Royal Challengers Bengaluru), the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, and the Rajasthan Royals.
