Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, despite a strong IPL showing, accepted his T20 World Cup omission due to the team’s established top order.
Despite a standout debut IPL season, Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk has been omitted from the T20 World Cup squad. The young Aussie has already bagged 259 runs in the IPL in only 6 matches, for an astonishing strike rate of 233. However, he remained unfazed by his omission from the World Cup squad.
In a mature response on the Willow Talk podcast, Fraser-McGurk acknowledged the strength of the current top order, featuring established names like David Warner, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh.
“The communication was really good. There are two ways you can look at it. You can look at it through: ‘This is what I’ve done to prove my case,’ and then there’s also, ‘Look, a month and a half ago, I wasn’t even in the picture,” said Jake, as quoted by India Today.
He recognised the difficulty of breaking into a settled team with star players. “They probably had a good idea of what [the squad] was a month and a half ago, trying to build that and get the connection in the team. And it’s also hard to fit in. You’ve got David Warner, our best opener ever, in three formats. You’ve got Travis Head, who is lighting it up over here and has lit it up over the past 18 months. And then Mitch Marsh is the same, and he’s also the captain,” added the young batter.
The 22-year-old realistically assessed his chances, acknowledging it is unlikely he would be in the top five batting order. He expressed hope for a spot among the travelling reserves, which he thinks of as a valuable learning experience.
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“I can’t really see myself batting five or six because we’re pretty set there with Tim David, Cam Green, and those sorts of guys. That’s the way I think about it. That’s fine. There’s hopefully going to be more time for that. If I somehow get a travel reserve [spot], then great, I can get a good experience there,” added Jake. He concluded by emphasising that the snub did not faze him, “It’s not something that bothers me a lot. I know I haven’t necessarily earned a spot yet.”
Meanwhile, Australia seems to be prepared with their mix of fresh and experienced squad for the T20 World Cup, which will begin on June 2nd. The Aussies will be starting off their campaign against Oman on June 6th at Kensington Oval Barbados.
Last Updated on May 7, 2024