Adam Zampa says inexperienced Australian ODI squad members could become matchwinners at the Champions Trophy

With so many first-choice players absent from Australia’s Champions Trophy campaign, spin star Adam Zampa is trying to look at the glass half full for those who are there.

Adam Zampa says the Champions Trophy could provide the platform to find some future “matchwinners” for Australia with so many frontliners missing as Ricky Ponting put batting tyro Jake Fraser-McGurk under the gun to be one of them.

Australia will take on England in Lahore on Saturday night without the bowlers who helped secure the 2023 World Cup, leaving only spin star Zampa with any sort of tournament experience.

He knows he’ll have to lead the attack, labelling the absence of Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Marsh a “big loss”.

But he also sees opportunity for others ahead of the next ODI World Cup and has high hopes for that the likes of Spencer Johnson could produce something special.

“Most ICC events that we’ve played over the last almost decade, it’s been a very similar bowling attack,” Zampa said.

Adam Zampa is banking on Australia finding a breakout star. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

“So to not have those guys here, it’s obviously a big loss, and we know that, but next man in mentality, and it’s obviously a great opportunity too.

“We’ve got an ODI World Cup in a couple of years and guys who’ve played five to 10 games, it can be difficult to come in and feel like you’re going to be a matchwinner.

“But as long as we’re kind of playing our roles and contributing, that’ll be important throughout and then hopefully a matchwinner somewhere along the way pulls it off for us.”

McGurk is one of those young players who was picked as an injury replacement despite a lean run in the Big Bash and two single-figure scores in two ODI losses to Sri Lanka last week.

Ponting has been one of the 22-year-old’s biggest fans but said it was becoming “harder and harder” for selectors to pick him.

“He’s not had the greatest of summers. I mean, there’s just so much talent there,” Ponting told the The ICC Review.

Jake Fraser-McGurk hasn’t delivered for Australia. Picture: Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP

“There’s so much ability and skill and talent that we haven’t sort of seen consistently enough just yet.

“And that’s one of the big calls (the Australian selectors) are going to have to make now as well.”

Ponting suggested captain Steve Smith could open the batting, with Travis Head the only lock at the top of the order, with Matt Short, Josh Inglis and Fraser-McGurk the other options to partner him.

Zampa said while the Australian squad wasn’t as deep with experienced players as at previous tournaments, the message to the newer members of the group was a simple one.

“They don’t have to come in and set the world on fire,” he said.

“It’s just kind of play a role and get used to the style of cricket that we play.

“I’m the experienced head in the bowling attack, but we’ve still got Heady and Smitty there. Manus (Labuschagne) has played a lot of ODI cricket now as well, so there’s enough experience there.”

Originally published as Adam Zampa says inexperienced Australian ODI squad members could become matchwinners at the Champions Trophy