Adam Zampa is in line to make his first Sheffield Shield appearance since 2019 and have a chance to push a claim for a spot on the Test tour of India after being named in New South Wales' squad to face Victoria in Melbourne.
Zampa has not played first-class cricket since moving back to New South Wales two years ago but a window has opened up for him to feature in one game before the Shield breaks for the BBL.
There is a chance that he will be considered as a left-field option for the Test series in India during February and March, although he will only have the one game to showcase his long-form skills.
"My dream is still to play Test cricket," Zampa told Fox Cricket before the third ODI against England in Melbourne last week. "I feel like my game's evolved over the last few years, it's just about the workload and seeing how my body will cope. I'd love to throw my hat in the ring [for the India tour]."
Zampa's overall first-class record is modest with 105 wickets at 48.26 from 38 matches, the last of which came for South Australia against Western Australia in late 2019. He made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2012, taking five wickets in the match against Queensland.
Mitchell Swepson has been Australia's legspinner on their last two overseas tours to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, so far taking 10 wickets at 45.80 in four outings.
"It's rare that Adam is available for Sheffield Shield, given his taxing white ball schedule but he has this week free and has always maintained his desire to play red-ball cricket," New South Wales' head of male cricket Michael Klinger said. "For us to be able to bring in a player of his calibre and experience is a welcome one."
Offspinner Todd Murphy and left-armer Ashton Agar, who both played for the Prime Minister's XI against West Indies in Canberra, are also in the frame. Agar would have played the Tests in Sri Lanka if he had not suffered a side strain