Australia have drafted leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha into their T20 squad for the forthcoming series against India after Adam Zampa withdrew from the opening matches for family reasons.
Zampa’s wife, Harriet, is expecting their second child. The leg-spinner skipped the first ODI in Perth because of the long journey, returned in Adelaide – where he was named Player of the Match – and again featured in Sydney. He remains Australia’s leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is.
Sangha, 23, represents Sydney Thunder in the BBL and last played international cricket in 2023, taking 4 for 31 on debut against South Africa. Recent form is solid: seven wickets on the Australia A tour to India and ten in four One-Day Cup outings for New South Wales make him the competition’s current leading bowler.
Should conditions suit, Australia could field two specialist spinners, pairing the right-arm Sangha with left-armer Matt Kuhnemann. Pace resources are more fluid. Josh Hazlewood will be available only for the first two fixtures in Canberra and Sydney, while fellow quick Sean Abbott departs after the third match in Hobart.
Selectors are also looking ahead. Western Australia seamer Mahli Beardman, 20, has yet to play first-class cricket, but joins the national squad from match three and may make a debut before the series ends.
The moving parts reflect overlapping priorities: white-ball commitments now, Ashes preparation around the corner. For Sangha, though, the equation is simple – another chance to add to seven caps and press for a longer run.
