Australia are set to turn their back on rising star Jake Fraser-McGurk’s whirlwind IPL form and drop Steve Smith in their T20 World Cup squad.
The selectors are expected to announce their 15-man squad later this week for the showpiece event in June which will be co-hosted by the West Indies and United States.
Fraser-McGurk has been wowing fans in India with his exploits for the Delhu Capitals after getting his first taste of international cricket with the Australian team last summer.
Smith has been struggling for runs in the T20 format over the past 12 months and he was probably only going to be a chance of making the squad as a reserve batter.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh is set to be named captain after he shared the role with Pat Cummins and Matthew Wade in recent series.
David Warner will make his farewell to international cricket at the tournament after already retiring from the Test and ODI arenas.
Wade is expected to be picked as a keeping option alongside Josh Inglis with both players a chance of making the final XI on the strength of their batting.
Warner is likely to open with Travis Head with Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis and the two keepers providing plenty of power hitting in the middle order.
Green is a contentious selection as he has not set the T20 world on fire despite occasional glimpses of his brilliance with the bat and ball while Stoinis has also been struggling for form at international level.
According to a NewsCorp report, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar will snare a spot as the back-up to Adam Zampa while white-ball specialist Nathan Ellis is set to tour as the extra seam-bowling option behind Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
The form of Starc is a cause for concern for the Australians.
Starc has continued to leak runs at an extraordinary rate in the Indian Premier League, but at least got the better of Fraser-McGurk in an intriguing clash between the veteran seamer and young gun hitter.
The 22-year-old Victorian just about kept out the first two balls Starc bowled at him, scrambling singles off each.
The next two balls he smashed the 34-year-old New South Welshman for six over wide long-on and four though backward point.
But the following ball he mis-hit to deep square leg where Venkatest Iyer took a fine low catch sending Fraser-McGurk packing for a seven-ball 12.
Aside from the satisfaction of being on the winning side it was rare moment of joy at Eden Gardens on Monday for Starc whose return to the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders remains challenging.
Batting first Fraser-McGurk’s Delhi Capitals scratched their way to 9-153, No.9 Kuldeep Yadav top-scoring with an unbeaten 35. But Starc’s three overs went for 43. Given his first three legal deliveries, opening the bowling, went for 13, and the last two legal balls, bowled in the 16th over, went for 15 with five wides, it could have been a lot worse.
However, he has now bowled 28 overs, taken seven wickets at 47.14 apiece and been hit for 330 runs – an economy rate of 11.78, or almost two runs per ball.
It is not the impact Kolkata Knight Riders anticipated when they signed Starc for $4.43 million to make him the competition’s most expensive player.
Jake Fraser-McGurk of Australia bats during game three of the Men’s One Day International match between Australia and West Indies at Manuka Oval on February 06, 2024 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
However, when he did not play in their last match due to a finger issue KKR conceded a record 2-262, losing with eight balls to spare, an even worse economy rate as England’s Jonny Bairstow hammered KKR’s other seamers around the park.
With Starc back in the side KKR returned to winning ways, easing to their victory target with seven wickets and 21 balls to spare, making 3-157 with England’s Phil Salt (68 off 33) leading the way.
The win moved KKR into second place on 12 points, four behind leaders Rajasthan Royals and two ahead of a pack of four teams on ten, including Capitals. The top four make the play-offs.
Likely Australian squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Not much, but if you want a player in form, now is better than then. Mind you, if you want the past, he blitzed IPL last season. The boy can play this game.
ant
Roar Rookie
"Since he has returned.". Mind telling me what he was averaging before that?
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
keep warner drop a bowler and or wade
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Ellis has to play, he’s the only point of difference in that attack. One of Starc or Cummins miss for mine, probably Starc on form - but it’s likely he will beat up on Namibia, Scotland and Oman and they’ll think he’s in form, only to get belted around by the better sides.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
JFM is one of those players who can really change the momentum of a game in a couple of overs and accumulate a lot of runs VERY QUICKLY. For me he should be in the squad. He could be Maxwell 2.0. But selectors have to have the fortitude to take the risk.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
It’s the continuation of Davey’s farewell tour.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Green needs to have his technique sorted by the time November rolls around.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Stoinis is hitting form at the IPL at the right time.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
It does have that obligatory “farewell” feel to it. Which doesn’t necessarily win World Cups.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
People hate hearing this, but the answer is obvious. When the chairman of selectors is such good mates with all the older players as he’s a former teammate, he cannot make tough decisions. The tough decision would’ve been to say “Sorry Davey but this young kid is better than you” but because Warner wanted to go to the States for one last trip with Dads Army, George obliged and left out one of our next generational talents in the process.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Again - it’s not like there aren’t other options out there. Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett… Selectors are blatantly ignoring the poor form of Starc and Warner so they can give them a ‘farewell’ World Cup - they did the same with Finch last World Cup.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Then it’s Green that misses instead of Stoinis - whichever way you slice it they simply do not need both of them, nor do they need both Wade and Inglis.
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Not this format – what happens in test and ODI cricket is irrelevant to the T20 World Cup. Even in the test side however, people would agree that selectors are overly conservative and value incumbency over form – which I think is plain wrong. This was a great opportunity to play some of our younger talent who are actually IN FORM. A World Cup is no place for a farewell tour, which it seems like a few of this lot are getting.
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Prepare for the Indian test series
Wikipetia
Roar Rookie
Yes I am picking a tournament for now :silly:
13th Man
Roar Rookie
Stoinis has been making his runs in the top 3 for Lucknow - it’s a myth he’s actually a good finisher. Imo I just don’t see the need for both him and Green, I don’t mind which one , and also the need for both Inglis and Wade. Could go with JFM and Spencer Johnson and actually have two exciting players for the future - it’s a missed opportunity.
matth
Roar Guru
Stoinis is actually in pretty good form and his issues have always been in the ODI arena, he's actually been good for us in T20's. Hard to argue with your other problem players.
matth
Roar Guru
If you push for JFM on the basis of slashing IPL form, then you have to give Stoinis that benefit as well. He has hit a century and been man of the match in another game this week as well.
matth
Roar Guru
We are world cup holders in two of the three formats. We must do something okay.
matth
Roar Guru
That is true these days, although at one time Starc was undisputed as the best T20 bowler in the world. but that was a long time ago. I expect Agar to get some games and Maxwell to bowl a fair bit.