Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has hailed Jake Fraser-McGurk's explosive form in the Indian Premier League (IPL), making a compelling argument for his inclusion in Australia's Twenty20 World Cup squad.
Fraser-McGurk's scintillating innings of 84 off just 27 balls, adorned with 11 boundaries and six maximums, propelled the Delhi Capitals to a formidable total of 257-4 against perennial champions Mumbai Indians. This performance, alongside his record-equalling half-century in just 15 deliveries, has caught Clarke's attention, advocating for the 22-year-old's selection in the squad bound for the USA and West Indies in June.
Clarke, expressing his views from the commentary box, emphasised the difficulty in overlooking Fraser-McGurk's outstanding contributions.
He highlighted the youngster's adaptability to potentially similar conditions in the Caribbean, foreseeing a crucial role for him in navigating the challenges of slower wickets and the necessity for power-hitting in the powerplay overs. With the selection imminent, Clarke emphasised that Fraser-McGurk's consistent performances have solidified his candidature for a spot in the final 15.
Fraser-McGurk's impact hasn't gone unnoticed by former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, who marvelled at his remarkable statistics, including an impressive tally of 22 sixes and a staggering 220 runs scored through boundaries out of his total of 247 runs in five matches. This phenomenal display of power-hitting has elevated T20 batting to new heights, earning Fraser-McGurk widespread recognition.
Despite his relatively young age, Fraser-McGurk's prowess with the bat has been evident for some time, as highlighted by his blistering 29-ball century against Tasmania in the Marsh Cup last year, setting a new benchmark for the fastest hundred in one-day cricket.
Delhi Capitals' assistant coach, Pravin Amre, attested to Fraser-McGurk's unique talent, citing his X-factor evident even during net sessions.
