Mitchell Marsh Hails Adam Zampa Ahead of Spinner's 100th ODI

Australian captain Mitchell Marsh praised Adam Zampa ahead of the leg-spinner's 100th ODI against England, acknowledging Zampa's significant contributions and personal growth. Marsh commended Zampa's ability to perform under pressure, while Zampa expressed his continued passion for ODI cricket despite evolving formats and franchise opportunities.

Australian captain Mitchell Marsh has praised Adam Zampa as the leg-spinner gears up for his 100th One Day International (ODI) match against England on Thursday. During a pre-match news conference, Marsh highlighted Zampa's significant impact on the team and his development into a top-tier ODI player. "I think 100 games these days is a really special achievement," Marsh stated.

Reflecting on Zampa's career, Marsh noted, "Zamps' (Adam Zampa) career has certainly had its ups and downs, being in and out of the side at times, but the way he's gone about it over the last probably four or five years is commendable." He emphasized Zampa's growth both as a cricketer and as an individual. "The person that he's become and, more importantly for us as a team, the cricketer that he's become is something that we're really grateful for. He's certainly tracking towards being one of our greatest ever ODI players," Marsh added.

Highlighting Zampa's importance to the team, Marsh continued, "There's no hiding the fact that he's one of our go-to men with the ball over a 50-over period. That has been one of the challenges he's taken in his stride over the last few years. He's been that person for us, and he certainly thrives off the bigger moments, which is what all great players do." Commending Zampa's performance under pressure, Marsh said, "It's a real credit to the way he's gone about his work." Zampa has taken 169 wickets in 99 matches, with his best figures of 5/35 against New Zealand in 2022.

Despite the evolving landscape of international cricket formats, Zampa expressed his desire to continue playing ODIs. "There's been a lot of questions about the ODI format and what that looks [like] going forward. In terms of playing for Australia and that drive, I think every young guy coming through still thinks that's the be-all and end-all. There are obviously those other opportunities in terms of franchise cricket, and that's good. There's been a lot said about how it's a saturated market, but all these different competitions give other guys opportunities," Zampa said.

(With inputs from agencies.)