I'm no Shane Warne: Zampa
Adam Zampa and (inset) Shane Warne. (Getty)
He's widely touted as the latest legspin heir apparent but Adam Zampa believes it's time Australia stopped searching for Shane Warne's replacement.
After a whirlwind couple of months that included his one-day international debut and a six-wicket haul in the Indian Premier League, 24-year-old Zampa is en route to the Carribean for Australia's ODI tri-series with the Windies and South Africa.
"There's only ever going to be one Shane Warne," Zampa said in New York.
"The attributes he had, how strong he was, his legspinner was unbelievable and to be able to bowl that legspinner for as long as he did for five days for his whole career was something unbelievable."
Aussie selectors have debuted three would-be leg-spinning replacements since Warne's retirement in January 2006.
Bryce McGain's one Test in the West Indies in 2008 yielded figures of 0-148, while Cameron White and Steve Smith were selected as bowling all-rounders in the past decade before it was discovered they were far better batsmen.
Left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson also played one Test on the 2008 tour of the West Indies, taking three wickets at an average of 43.
Each debutant was met with the suggestion he could be the country's next Warne, suggestions which Zampa - as the new premier wrist-spinner - has been quick to play down.
"People do look at me and think I look a lot like him but I think the only thing that would be similar is the smoother run up.
"It's a nice comparison but I don't really think about it that way."
Zampa will have to fight for game time in the upcoming one-day series, with fellow spinners Nathan Lyon and Glenn Maxwell also selected for the tour.
He's also been left out of Australia's 16-man squad for the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka, however Zampa is keen to impress ahead of next year's series in India.
"There may be some opportunities on the sub-continent," he said.
"The white ball at the moment is probably something I'm concentrating on but if I keep improving I feel like it doesn't matter what format you're playing."
