Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting has earmarked Jake Fraser-McGurk as a future Test star, believing the 21-year-old blaster has as much talent as a young David Warner.
The Victorian, who crossed to South Australia ahead of the current domestic season, is the talk of the cricket world for his fearless and cavalier approach to opening.
Fraser-McGurk belted 41 off 18 balls in Australia’s record win – achieved with 43 overs left – against West Indies in Canberra on Tuesday.
It was his second international appearance, after he smashed a towering six in Sydney on Sunday before being dismissed by the fifth ball of the match.
Ponting was not surprised by Fraser-McGurk’s dazzling display, saying he was reminded of Warner’s famous take-down of a powerful South African attack at the MCG in 2009.
“(Fraser-McGurk) is someone that can be well and truly fast-tracked through the Australian system,” Ponting said on Wednesday after being confirmed as coach of US Major League Cricket franchise Washington Freedom.
“When we saw (Warner) at the start everyone doubted whether he’s going to be good enough to play Test cricket, technically.
“But with the talent and the skill that (Warner) had – Jake has got as much talent as David had come coming through … the earlier they can get him into the system (the better).
“Get him playing and letting him work out for himself the best way to have success in all the different formats.”
Ponting referenced former Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi as someone who made the jump from a limited-overs power-hitter to a Test player.
“When you’ve got that sort of talent, you need to be exposed to cricket at the highest level to work it out, Jake can do that,” Australia’s all-time leading century-maker said.
Fraser-McGurk’s rise comes just a month after Warner, one of Australia’s greatest openers, ended his Test and one-day international careers.
Jake Fraser-McGurk of Australia bats during game three against the West Indies. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Warner, 37, remains a member of Australia’s Twenty20 squad in the lead-up to this year’s World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean.
Fraser-McGurk enjoyed a strong Big Bash League campaign with the Melbourne Renegades but has been overlooked for the T20 squads, with selectors slotting him into Warner’s vacant spot as ODI opener.
Steve Smith, who alongside Ponting is Australia’s best men’s batter since Don Bradman, was blown away watching Fraser-McGurk.
“He’s certainly not short of confidence and it’s cool to see someone come in and at the age of 21 just play with such freedom and no fear at all,” Smith said on Tuesday night.
Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, who opened alongside Fraser-McGurk in Sydney and Canberra, labelled his young teammate a “freak” for how well he hit the ball.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
And this is in the rugby section why..?
Ace
Roar Rookie
His ticket could well be marked but I tend to think like carnivean . He and Harris have not done enough consistently. Renshaw was pretty poor against Tassy as well so work to be done
carnivean
Roar Rookie
Bancroft is marked as "use in case of emergency". He's not the future and he's not demanding a spot. He's a compromise solution at best at the moment. Same for Harris. Renshaw at least has a chance to build a big future.
carnivean
Roar Rookie
He's certainly got some of the neccessary attributes and I would back Ponting's call to invest in him to see if he can develop the rest. If he's able to start consistently playing longer innings without compromising what he's got, then let's go all in. But we are in need of players that can bat long, be the glue that holds an innings together when it starts to go pear shaped. We're brittle in the middle order at the moment. Head and Marsh are counterattackers. JFM would be too. So if can build a batting average that isn't based 75% around a single exceptional innings that would be great.
jammel
Roar Rookie
Yep - in Ricky we trust. I'd like to see Rooster play more Shield, and also more for Australia - inlcuding in the T20 WC.
Ace
Roar Rookie
My thought Carnivean is that McGurk has such great hand eye coordination Such quick hands which is important for an opener... Being able to adjust to a moving, seaming ball He's a good prospect therefore going fwd. We certainly need one who is not over the hill
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
You are right,carnivean,that he has a long way to go before being considered for test cricket,but I do recall similar comments being said about Warner when he first started blasting runs in T20.Critics said then, he was just a slogger and would never be a success in tests.Let us hope that Jake goes along the same path.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
Knee jerk reaction and another kick in the teeth for those hard working players grinding out runs in the Shield. I think Bancroft's ticket has been marked never to be selected again.
carnivean
Roar Rookie
That's how I take it too. But the only other comment here has a different take. There's something about the Australian media environment that takes qualified, nuanced statements of the potential of young players (no matter the sport) and tries to shortcut their development process by attempting to immediately rush them into the top echelon. So while you or I read it as "ensure he's in the squads, give him the backing and trust he needs and develop him into the next Warner", other read it as Ponting saying that if he's not picked in the next test XI then Bailey is a fool. My post is highlighting the gap between the potential that Ricky sees in him and the current reality. His 2 innings against the Windies were streaky nonsense against a terrible team. Compare and contrast with Warner's first breakout innings where he was facing South Africe lead by Dale Steyn.
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Ponting isn't saying "select Fraser-Mcgurk in the Aussie test XI" He said 'Australian set-up' Get him entrenched in the Aus white ball teams, and send him back to SS every opportunity. When he's proven himself a little more in FC cricket, he'll be ready for the step up to international cricket. That's how I take Ponting's comments
carnivean
Roar Rookie
While he undoubtedly has talent he needs more than the T20 slog innings to prove that he can play tests, or even to get a good run in the ODI team. Part of what made Warner so good was his abilty to discern when to attack and when to defend, or at least not play the shot. There's nothing to indicate that JFM has this in his skillset yet. If he's as good as people think he is then he can learn it. Is the test team going to be the best place to learn that?
cruyff turn
Roar Rookie
You certainly sit up and take notice when Ponting says something like this. He's not one to wax lyrical about a young player if he feels that player isn't ready for the challenge. Let's see how Fraser-Mcgurk goes in the remaining Shield matches; I'd like to see him bat more in the longer game. And be tested against good bowling.