"Has got the ability to beat you off the pitch" - Sridharan Sriram expected Adam Zampa to tour India for Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Former Australian assistant coach Sridharan Sriram feels leg-spinner Adam Zampa deserved a call-up to the Test squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Sriram, who spent six years with Cricket Australia, reflected that the wrist-spinner gets the ball to zip off the deck and can beat batters off the pitch.

Zampa was in the frame to earn his first call-up to the Test squad for the four-Test tour in India but lost his spot to Mitchell Swepson, who had already played four matches.

However, the South Australian, who played his first red-ball game in December of 2022 after three years, averages a below-par 47.90 in first-class cricket in 39 games.

Speaking to The Age, the 46-year-old reflected that Zampa wanted to play Test cricket more than anyone as he has the weapons to succeed in India. He said:

"I would have personally loved to see Zamps bowl here because he’s got the pace, he’s got that zip off the pitch. That’s something I keep an eye out for, who has got the ability to beat you off the pitch, so I think that Zamps has got that.

"He wanted it more than anyone, he wanted to play Test matches in India, he had called me a couple of times a couple of months ago saying, ‘Sri I’m so excited that I could be on that tour,' so he wanted it and he started to play first-class cricket for NSW. He did well, three wickets in each innings, so he’s pretty disappointed that he’s not on this tour."

The 31-year-old expressed his disappointment, stating that chief selector George Bailey and head coach Andrew McDonald had given him hope of making it to the squad. While Zampa hasn't closed the door completely, he sees himself not getting a chance until Australia's next sub-continent visit.

"That will be the challenge for Sweppo and Ash" - Sridharan Sriram ahead of India tour

Sridharan Sriram and Nathan Lyon. (Credits: Getty)

Sriram pointed to how the likes of Nathan Lyon, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja have retained their bite despite bowling long spells amid tough conditions. Hence, the former Indian cricketer warned that Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson must quickly get used to bowling long spells and said:

"You can bowl a bit slower or a bit quicker but you still need that zip off the pitch, and for that, your action needs to be really strong. What Ashwin and Jadeja and Nathan Lyon do really well is being able to hold their action for long periods of time in conditions that are tough to bowl on, the heat or whatever.

"That will be the challenge for Sweppo and Ash, to hold their action together, to get that same zip off the pitch, even on day three or four as the innings goes on, and as they’re into their 30th or 35th over, can they still be as effective as they were in their first five or 10 overs."

The first Test between Australia and India starts on February 9 in Nagpur.