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Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Ricky Ponting recently opened up about the absence of Jake Fraser-McGurk, a young opening batter, from Australia’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.
Jake Fraser-McGurk’s absence from Australia’s T20 World Cup squad
Despite Fraser-McGurk’s impressive form, he was not selected for the Australia squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup next month. Fraser-McGurk joined DC as a replacement player just before IPL 2024 commenced, filling in for fast bowler Lungi Ngidi. Since then, Fraser-McGurk has been a revelation, redefining the T20 batting template, particularly in the powerplay overs. With 309 runs to his name at a staggering strike rate of 235.87 and an average of 44.14, including four half-centuries, his impact has been undeniable.
Ricky Ponting’s insights
Ponting expressed his thoughts on Fraser-McGurk’s omission from the T20 World Cup squad, stating that he believes Jake himself didn’t anticipate being selected initially. Ponting highlighted Fraser-McGurk’s remarkable performances in the IPL, including his three 20-ball fifties, which have made him one of the standout powerplay batters in the tournament alongside Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma.
“I don’t think Jake expected to get picked in the first place. It was only a few weeks ago that he turned up here as a replacement player, and probably the furthest thing from his mind was actually getting a chance to be in that World Cup squad. It’s just been how electrifying he’s been in this IPL. Some of the things he’s done – I think he’s made three 20-ball fifties in this tournament, so he along with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have been the stand-out powerplay batsmen in this entire,” Ponting was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
Also READ: Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh explains Jake Fraser-McGurk omission for T20 World Cup 2024
Regarding Fraser-McGurk’s reaction to not being selected for the World Cup squad, Ponting mentioned that while Jake may have wished to be included, he wasn’t surprised or disheartened by the decision. Ponting emphasized the team’s focus on the present and the upcoming matches, ensuring they strive for continual improvement and readiness.
“I saw some quotes from him the day that the squad was announced or the day after – he wasn’t surprised that he wasn’t in the squad, he wasn’t disappointed at not being there. I’m sure he would have liked to have been in it, but I think he would have been more surprised to be named than left out. He’s focused now, like all of us, he’s making sure that we’re ready to go tomorrow. For us, it’s not about what happened yesterday, it’s about what we can do today to get better, and then make sure that we’re ready to play our best game of cricket tomorrow,” the 49-year-old concluded.
Australia’s campaign at the 2024 T20 World Cup
Australia recently made their T20 World Cup squad announcement earlier in May. The squad includes big names like left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green and captain Mitchell Marsh. However, notable omissions from the squad include veteran batter Steve Smith, young sensation Fraser-McGurk, experienced seamer Jason Behrendorff and all-rounder Matt Short. Australia will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against Oman in Barbados on June 5, followed by fixtures against England, Namibia and Scotland in Group B.
