Cricket

Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa has expressed his preference for prioritizing international cricket over lucrative T20 franchise leagues. Zampa, who withdrew from the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) due to fatigue, believes that representing Australia brings him a greater sense of fulfillment."I've really come to love playing for Australia," Zampa said. "It's always been enjoyable, but under the current leadership, it's just so much more so. I make good money playing for Australia, and I would love to prioritize that and being with my family."Zampa acknowledged that franchise cricket has its benefits, but it doesn't compare to the camaraderie and atmosphere of the Australian dressing room. "I don't get enough out of franchise cricket," he said. "It's great for certain aspects of your life, but it's not like being in the Aussie dressing room. I don't get the same buzz out of it."The leg-spinner had previously considered becoming a globe-trotting T20 player, but has since realized that he prefers a more balanced approach. "I've thought about playing franchise cricket all year round, but after winning the World Cup and having a young family, I've realized I want to play cricket for as long as I can," he said. "Instead of trying to play for nine or 10 months of the year, I'd rather play for six or seven."Zampa is excited about Australia's upcoming T20 World Cup campaign in the West Indies and the USA, where he will reunite with left-arm spinner Ashton Agar. "I feel like there's a little bit of unfinished business," Zampa said. "Ash missed out on the last World Cup, and I really think this is his World Cup to put his stamp on."Zampa also praised the potential of young leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, who was in contention for a traveling reserve role before suffering an injury. "He's had a lot of niggles and injuries, but he's years ahead of where I was at his age," Zampa said. "He's really smart and certainly going to have a long career for Australia."

Adam Zampa, Australia's premier leg-spinner, has opted out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season to prioritize his mental and physical well-being ahead of the T20 World Cup in June.Zampa, who was set to join Rajasthan Royals, withdrew on the eve of the season after a grueling 12 months that included the ODI World Cup, T20I series against India, and the Big Bash League (BBL)."I'm completely drained from 2023," Zampa explained on the Willow Talk podcast. "I did the full IPL last year, and the World Cup was three months in India as well."Despite his initial intentions to play in the IPL, Zampa realized he couldn't offer his best to the Royals. "I felt like I just couldn't really offer the Rajasthan Royals the best version of myself," he said.Another factor in Zampa's decision was the uncertainty surrounding his playing time. With Indian spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin in the Royals' squad, Zampa wasn't sure how many games he would get."It came down to my decision being I probably need to put my body and my mental health first," he said. "I've got a young family, and it's not easy to spend nine weeks in India."Zampa's absence from the IPL is a significant blow to the Royals, but it's a necessary step for the 30-year-old as he looks to maintain his peak form for the T20 World Cup."Looking forward to the World Cup, that's what's more important to me, that's for sure," Zampa said.Zampa will be a key figure in Australia's quest to win the T20 World Cup and complete the trifecta of men's world titles. He is expected to form a spin partnership with Ashton Agar, who is in contention for a recall to the squad.

Tanush Kotian, the Mumbai all-rounder who played a pivotal role in their record-breaking 42nd Ranji Trophy victory, has been roped in by Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa.Kotian, known for his crisis management skills, was acquired by the Royals at his base price of Rs 20 lakh. Despite retaining Zampa under his Rs 1.5-crore contract, the Australian opted out due to the heavy workload leading up to the T20I World Cup in June.The 25-year-old Kotian, an off-spinner and a handy lower-order batter, had been expecting an IPL contract in 2023 after playing a vital role in Mumbai's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph. However, he was reported for a suspect bowling action.Undeterred, Kotian fought back and became the player-of-the-tournament in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy triumph this season, scoring 502 runs and taking 29 wickets. Batting at No. 8, he scored an unbeaten 120 in the second innings and followed it up with an 89 not out in the quarterfinal and semifinal games against Baroda and Tamil Nadu respectively.In another IPL replacement, Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter BR Sharath has been signed by Gujarat Titans as a replacement for Robin Minz, who was ruled out after getting injured in a freak motorcycle accident.Sharath, who has played 28 T20s, 20 First-Class matches, and 43 List A games for Karnataka, has 328 T20 runs to his name. He will join GT for his base price of Rs 20 lakh.