Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa had a memorable Indian Premier League debut with the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) in 2016, immediately showcasing his talent with a remarkable performance in the world’s biggest T20 league.
His figures of 6/19 against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) were among the best in IPL history, and it boosted the Australian star’s confidence. Reflecting on his debut IPL season, Zampa shared insights into the thrill of facing batting icons like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.
Adam Zampa reflects on his rollercoaster IPL journey
Zampa enjoyed early success in the Indian Premier League, including dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) de Villiers and Virat Kohli, which fueled his belief that his IPL career would skyrocket. Despite the impressive debut, he faced a challenging season.
However, his six-wicket haul against the SRH initially boosted his prospects, but Zampa did not secure a multimillion-dollar contract as he had hoped. He experienced a rollercoaster of emotions, from excitement at being part of the IPL to frustration over limited opportunities.
Over five matches in his debut Indian Premier League season in 2016, the Australian legspinner struggled to maintain consistency and found himself often on the sidelines, which was frustrating for the cricketer. Despite the setbacks, Zampa acknowledged the value of the IPL experience.
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
Notably, Zampa, the legspinner, has appeared in 20 matches over three Indian Premier League seasons, claiming 29 wickets with an average of 19.24 and an economy rate of 7.99. His standout performance includes a notable five-wicket haul, highlighted by a 6/19 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in his debut season under Steve Smith’s captaincy for the RPS.
In his last season, Zampa took eight wickets at an average of 23.50 and an economy rate of 8.54 for the Rajasthan Royals (RR). However, he pulled out of the IPL 2024 due to personal reasons.
Zampa had been retained by RR ahead of the Indian Premier League auction last year on a contract worth INR 1.5 crore. Zampa has also represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (then Royal Challengers Bangalore) and the now-defunct RPS at the Indian Premier League.