Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa had a standout debut in the Indian Premier League with the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) in 2016, showcasing his skills in the premier T20 league.
His performance, highlighted by a remarkable 6/19 against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), ranks among the best in IPL history and significantly boosted his confidence. Looking back on his debut season, Zampa reminisced about the excitement of playing against legendary batsmen such as Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.
Adam Zampa reflects on his rollercoaster IPL journey
Adam Zampa had an impressive start in the Indian Premier League, notably dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) stars AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli, which led him to believe his IPL career would take off. Despite this promising debut, he faced a difficult season.
Although his six-wicket haul against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) initially raised his prospects, Zampa did not land the multimillion-dollar contract he had anticipated. He went through a mix of emotions, from the excitement of being part of the IPL to frustration over limited playing opportunities.
In his debut IPL season of 2016, Zampa played five matches but struggled with consistency and frequently found himself on the bench, which was disappointing for him. Despite these challenges, Zampa recognized the value and experience gained from his time in the IPL.
Just get me home. I am not playing: Zampa on Indian Premier League debut
Adam Zampa said on The Final Word Cricket Podcast: “I got my debut, bowled to Virat for the first time, got De Villiers out twice in two balls, and then the next game was the six-fer, and then you’re like they’re obviously going to pick me up because of the six-fer. Then you go back, and you’re like, I just got to have a solid year. And then I had a stinker and never got a multi-million dollar payday from the IPL.”
Zampa signed off by saying, “I had a bit of international experience before that (the IPL debut), and I always wanted to be a part of the IPL. I went through all kinds of emotions, right from how good it is just to be a part of it to I am sick of this. Just get me home. I am not playing.”
Have a look at Zampa’s IPL career
Adam Zampa, the leg-spinner, has played 20 matches across three IPL seasons, taking 29 wickets with an average of 19.24 and an economy rate of 7.99. His notable achievements include a remarkable five-wicket haul, with a standout 6/19 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during his debut season with Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) under Steve Smith’s captaincy.
In his most recent season, Zampa claimed eight wickets at an average of 23.50 and an economy rate of 8.54 while playing for the Rajasthan Royals (RR). However, he withdrew from the IPL 2024 due to personal reasons.
Zampa was retained by RR ahead of the previous year’s IPL auction with a contract worth INR 1.5 crore. Throughout his IPL career, he has also played for Royal Challengers Bangalore and the now-defunct RPS.
