Image: Adam Zampa of Rajasthan Roytals withdraw from IPL 2024 due to personal reasons
In a significant setback for the Rajasthan Royals just three days before the start of their IPL 2024 campaign, star leg-spinner Adam Zampa has withdrawn from the tournament for personal reasons. Zampa was retained by the Royals ahead of the December auction on a Rs 1.5 crore contract. However, an ESPNCricinfo report confirms he will not participate in the tournament.
Zampa, who has a young family, has endured a packed schedule recently. This includes competing in the Big Bash League and representing Australia in white-ball series against India, the West Indies, and New Zealand since the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Despite the presence of premier Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal in the Rajasthan squad, Zampa was a valuable contributor in IPL 2023. He appeared in six matches, securing eight wickets at an average of 23.5 and an economy rate of 8.54.
Zampa has earlier represented the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the erstwhile Rising Pune Supergiants in the IPL, taking 29 wickets in his 20 appearances in the tournament, spread across four different seasons.
The loss of Zampa has come as a double blow for Rajasthan, after pacer Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of IPL 2024 after a quad muscle surgery. His injury prompted co-owner Manoj Badale to say that the teams can work with BCCI's medical department.
Adam Zampa opted out of IPL 2024. (Code Sports). pic.twitter.com/lfpbqAOz3J
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 21, 2024
"There's always areas you'd like to keep pushing [the BCCI] on. Clearly, the medical side of it is really important, given how much these players are being asked to play across formats," Badale said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.
"We're without Prasidh Krishna again this season and that's tough as a franchise, when you've bet 7-8% of your entire player spend on a particular player and then that player is unavailable for the whole tournament, that hurts you," Badale said.
Rajasthan has not yet revealed who will take Krishna's or Zampa's position on the field. In the current Twenty20 International series between Australia and New Zealand, the latter claimed five wickets at an average of 19.2 in three matches, sharing the lead in wicket-taking.
Australia skipper Marsh pinpointed Zampa as Australia's most important player ahead of the T20 World Cup. He picked three wickets in three overs during Rajasthan's match against eventual champions Chennai Super Kings last year as Rajasthan beat MS Dhoni's team.
RR begin their campaign against the Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday, March 24 in Jaipur.
Also Read: Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2024: Team, Squad and Schedule
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