Zampa has not played first-class cricket since returning to New South Wales two years ago but the path has opened up for him to play in a match before the Shield break for the BBL.
Chances are he will be considered as a left-field option for the Test series in India during February and March, though he will have only one match to show off his long form skills.
“My dream is still to play Test cricket,” Adam Zampa told Fox Cricket ahead of the third ODI against England in Melbourne last week. “I think my game has evolved over the years, it’s just about workload and seeing how my body will cope. I would love to throw my cap in the ring (for the India tour).
Zampa’s overall first-class record is nothing special with 105 wickets in 38 matches at an average of 48.26, the last of which came for South Australia against Western Australia in late 2019. He made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2012, taking five wickets in the match against Queensland.
Mitchell Swepson has been Australia’s leg-spinner on the last two overseas tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, taking 10 wickets in four matches so far at an average of 45.80.
“It is rare that Adam is available for the Sheffield Shield because given his limited-overs schedule, he is vacant this week and has always maintained a desire to play red-ball cricket,” New South Wales men’s cricket chief Michael Klinger said.
“It is welcome for us to be able to bring in a player of his calibre and experience. Also in the frame are off-spinner Todd Murphy and left-armer Ashton Agar, who both played for the Prime Minister’s XI against the West Indies in Canberra. If Agar did not have a muscle strain, he would have played a Test match in Sri Lanka.