Australian spinner Adam Zampa recently picked his all-time best T20 playing XI among players he has played with and shockingly snubbed his former teammate MS Dhoni, who is often called the epitome of wisdom and one of the greatest finishers in the shortest format of the game.
Adam Zampa is currently one of the most experienced and well-known spinners in the world, especially known for his tremendous success in white-ball cricket. Zampa has been Australia’s only standout spinner over this decade.
However, Zampa was one of the notable absentees from the IPL 2026 mini-auction alongside England’s Adil Rashid, as he might make a move towards the PSL after being released by SRH in the pre-season. Zampa has now picked his Best T20 XI from players he has played alongside.
MS Dhoni’s former teammate disrespectfully snubs him from the all-time Best T20 XI
Former Rising Pune Supergiant teammates MS Dhoni and Adam Zampa spent two seasons together in the dressing room, and Zampa, too, has shown adequate respect towards his former teammate. However, this time around, when Australia was asked to pick an all-time T20 XI on the Willow Talk Cricket podcast, he surprisingly snubbed MS Dhoni.
He instead opted for some of the finest players in the world to have played the shortest format of the game ever, but the T20 XI comprised only one Indian cricketer, and the name needs no guessing. It’s none other than legendary batter Virat Kohli.
Every team needs a gloveman, though Zampa did not imply the former South African as a wicket-keeper, yet AB de Villiers, the former RCB teammate of Zampa, remains the only wicket-keeper in the side.
However, this was a clear ignorance of one of the most accomplished players as well as the captain in the shortest format of the game. Dhoni has won 5 titles with CSK in the IPL and led India to a title triumph in the first-ever ICC T20 World Cup in 2007.
Adam Zampa picks a pile of RCB players as he names the all-time Best T20 XI
Other than the MSD snub, the Australians’ selections seemed right on the money, as he almost formed an invincible team out of players from different nations. The Aussie veteran picked Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli as the two openers in the side.
While Gayle remains the highest scorer in the shortest format of the game with 14,562 runs, Kohli also has an unmatchable record with 13,543 runs in T20s. Zampa next followed the list with the interesting numbers 3 and 4, as he picked a former English great, Kevin Pietersen and teammate Josh Inglis for the role.
The other Australian cricketers included were Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Ellis and Josh Hazlewood, who have all made promising contributions to the format. While he summed up his XI with the three big names from the West Indies in Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree.
Adam Zampa’s Playing XI: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Kevin Pietersen, Josh Inglis, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nathan Ellis, Samuel Badree, and Josh Hazlewood.
Adam Zampa is crucial to Australia’s ICC T20 World Cup campaign
The veteran spinner from Australia has been the best in the shortest format for them in the past decade. Adam Zampa has been the key spinner for Australia when they won the World Cups in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and the ICC World Cup 2023.
Zampa has 330 wickets in international cricket and has never played a red-ball game for the Aussies. With 134 wickets in T20Is, Zampa is the highest wicket-taker for them in T20 international cricket.
As the games will be played in India and Sri Lanka, spinners will play a massive role here, as will Zampa and Matt Kuhnemann, who will be the dominators for the Aussies. With the experience he possesses, Zampa will be crucial for their campaign.
