Ricky Ponting backs Jake Fraser-McGurk to excel across formats
What's the story
Ricky Ponting, Australia's World Cup-winning captain, has expressed high hopes for emerging cricketer Jake Fraser-McGurk. In a conversation with SkySports Cricket, Ponting identified the Melbourne-born player as an "extreme talent" and a potential future star in all three formats of cricket for Australia. Despite his early career challenges at the international level, Fraser-McGurk's skills have not gone unnoticed by the former Australian skipper.
IPL journey
Fraser-McGurk's IPL performance caught Ponting's attention
Fraser-McGurk's impressive performance in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) edition, under Ponting's coaching at Delhi Capitals, fast-tracked his entry into international cricket. However, since his debut in both T20 and ODI formats, he has struggled to replicate his earlier form. "Oh, look he's an extreme talent. He's a ball-striking talent," said Ponting about the young cricketer.
Expert advice
Ponting offers advice to improve Fraser-McGurk's game
Ponting observed that Fraser-McGurk tends to focus on scoring runs over mid-wicket and long-on, which could limit his performance. He suggested that the young player should aim for a more comprehensive approach to batting. "If he tries to think about scoring 360 degrees around the ground, he's as clean a striker as I think I've ever seen," Ponting advised.
Fearless talent
Ponting praises Fraser-McGurk's fearless approach
Ponting also commended Fraser-McGurk's fearless approach to batting and his potential to become a marquee batter for the Aussies across formats. "He's probably 5 foot 10, he's not a big kid but he hits the ball extremely hard and has got no fear and is a gun in the field," Ponting said. He concluded by reiterating his belief that Fraser-McGurk could be a future asset for Australian cricket in all three formats.
Feats
His sensational run in IPL 2024
Playing his maiden IPL season, Fraser-McGurk became a household name with his sensational performances. He finished the season with 330 runs across nine games at a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 234.04. During the season, he also became the only batter with multiple IPL fifties in 15 balls or fewer. A major chunk of Fraser-McGurk's runs came in the powerplay overs. He smashed 266 runs from 106 balls at an incredible strike rate of 250.94 in the Powerplay.