Can Adam Zampa tap into his Warne-like qualities?

Does anyone think Australia can still win the World T20? Has everyone jumped off the bandwagon after such a listless opening two performances?

It is probably wise to jump off the sinking ship because, truth be told, the end is seemingly nigh. It is hard to fathom such a mishmash team – who have won about 50 per cent of their T20 matches since the 2014 World T20 - can win five consecutive games to claim the title.

Still, they do fight another day. Australia breathed a sigh of relief and dodged major embarrassment after a three-wicket victory over a depleted Bangladesh in Bangalore on Monday night. But there was no cause for celebration for Australia captain Steve Smith and his team.

Clearly, this wasn’t the resounding statement Australia would have hoped for in a desperate bid to get their rickety World T20 back on track. It was an ugly and unimpressive win. If it wasn’t for Bangladesh’s fielding spiralling to comic levels, then Australia could have realistically lost the unlosable and been knocked out of the tournament.

Right now, Australia looks vulnerable and has a notable air of fragility about them. You feel they can sense it. Inexplicably, Australia repeatedly let Bangladesh back in the contest. The same worrying issues arose: inept death bowling and a puzzling middle-order collapse due to brainless batting.

In was indeed a perplexing performance but let’s try to be positive, shall we?

Essentially, there was just one shining light for Australia: Adam Zampa, the unheralded young leg-spinner. Zampa was man-of-the-match against Bangladesh and provides some semblance of hope for an Australian turnaround. Against batsmen highly adept at playing spin, Zampa returned the impressive figures of 3-23 from four accurate overs. Zampa wasn’t noticeably menacing, as he was unable to conjure much spin from the staid pitch but, impressively, Australia’s sole frontline spinner backed his instincts.

Zampa wasn’t afraid to give the ball flight and he did manage to find enough drift to worry the batsmen. Perhaps the main reason he was selected in the World T20 over spinning competitors Cameron Boyce and Nathan Lyon was because of his famed tenaciousness and ability to fight back after being smacked around, a requisite trait in the T20 format.

That resoluteness was showcased when Bangladesh batsman Shuvagata Hom attacked him initially before Zampa fought back and claimed his wicket. Zampa’s control was excellent in the middle overs, and, importantly, he regained the trust of his captain. Zampa only bowled one over – which cost just three runs - against New Zealand, as Smith was seemingly spooked to use his frontline spinners.

Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, fresh from a disastrous solo over against New Zealand, is unlikely to be recalled leaving the burden on Zampa’s tender shoulders. You feel Smith would have loved the menacing Boyce or the experienced Lyon to complement Zampa. But they aren’t here, adding pressure on the precocious 23-year-old.

Inevitably, after such an impressive performance, the Shane Warne comparisons started. “The young Zampa reminds me of the great Shane Warne!,” tweeted Indian legend Yuvraj Singh. These unfair comparisons almost always happen when a young Australian leg-spinner shows promise. Once upon a time, Smith – who initially came into the Australian ranks as a leg-spinner – was, bafflingly, likened to Warne.

However, it must be said, similarities exist beyond the familiar blonde-styled hair. Much like Warne, Zampa has a slow, deliberate run-up and seemingly relishes a fight. He does not look overawed, even in the T20 format where spinners are often treated like bowling machines.

No one thrived on a contest quite like Warne, who genuinely seemed to love the competition. Higher stakes often propelled his performances. Zampa has a whiff of Warne’s innate competiveness, and that bodes well for his long-term prospects at the international level.

But let’s not be delusional. Zampa isn’t close to mimicking Warne right now, and with all due respect, is unlikely to ever be in the same rarified realm. He’s a long way off in the longer form, as evidenced by a first class bowling average of more than 50.

But he’s absolutely shown his worth in the shorter formats and now looms as arguably Australia’s most important player in their desperate bid to win a belated World T20. If Australia are going to progress from Group 2, then Zampa will be heavily relied upon to perform at a similar level against Pakistan and India.

No one expects him to perform at a Warne-type level, but make no mistake, Zampa will need to fire if Australia has any chance of transforming into a genuine contender.