Jake Fraser-McGurk to sharpen wicket-keeping skills in effort to make more Australian squads

He’s burst onto the scene recently on the back of his lusty power hitting, but Jake Fraser-McGurk is trying a different tact to make him more selectable for Australian tours.

Jake Fraser-McGurk has been working on his wicketkeeping in a bid to make him more selectable for Australian tours.

The explosive rising star is back in Australia after a whirlwind year in which he made his international debut, lit up the Indian Premier League and was a travelling reserve for June’s Twenty20 World Cup.

The 22-year-old posted his maiden international half-century in a T20 against England in Cardiff last month but did not feature in the ensuing one-day series with Matt Short preferred at the top of the order. That Fraser-McGurk had also been dealing with hamstring awareness further clouded what was a mixed bag of a UK tour for the youngster.

From the bright lights of playing for Australia, Fraser-McGurk’s return to the game will come in the less auspicious surrounds of Adelaide’s Park 25 on next week when he lines up for South Australia’s second XI against Western Australia’s second XI after being bypassed for SA’s Shield opener.

Jake Fraser-McGurk has made his name with the bat. Picture: Getty Images

Fraser-McGurk, in Melbourne for a Cricket Australia fan festival event at Fed Square on Saturday, said he was hopeful of winning his place back in the SA side for the second round of the Shield season later this month.

“It would have been a tough decision to make on their behalf, but it’s obviously what they thought was the best for the organisation. And as long as I’m playing cricket I’m happy, so it’s all good, and hopefully I get a nice hit next week, and hopefully back for the second Shield game,” Fraser-McGurk told this masthead on Friday.

But while he is only on the fringes of his state side in red-ball cricket, in the white-ball formats he is right in the national selection frame, with next February’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan an obvious goal.

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Cooper Connolly of Australia. Picture: Getty Images

Fraser-McGurk said versatility was valuable, in part why he is again honing his craft with the gloves.

“I used to do a fair bit of ‘keeping back in my school cricket days, and I just felt like it’s another string to my bow that I can add in for getting selected on tours and things like that. It’s definitely something that’s going to help me get on those tours. I’ve been doing that a fair bit as well as my fielding. That’s the way cricket is trending. A lot of people can do a lot of things, and that’s where they get the most opportunity,” Fraser-McGurk said.

“I think obviously it’s good to have another option there. It might save them picking two ’keepers on a Twenty20 tour, they can have, you know (Josh) Inglis or (Alex) Carey, and then potentially me as a backup if needed. So that’s sort of where my head’s at.”

Jake Fraser-McGurk is determined to make the Australian line-up. Picture: Getty Images

Fraser-McGurk also confirmed that he had turned down the chance to play in England’s The Hundred competition this year, preferring to manage his workload after a monster year that included stints in the UAE, US and India as well as being a part of two Australian touring parties.

Having stormed onto the IPL scene with the Delhi Capitals earlier this year, Fraser-McGurk said he wasn’t yet sure whether he would be retained by the club ahead of this year’s mega auction. Should Delhi opt not to keep him, Fraser-McGurk shapes as a likely target of Punjab Kings, where coach Ricky Ponting has moved from the Capitals.

“I think the teams are still sort of figuring out what they’re trying to do with the salary caps and all things like that, and how it’s going to work in with what they want. So no communications as of yet, and hopefully expect something from some parties soon.”

Originally published as Jake Fraser-McGurk to sharpen wicket-keeping skills in effort to make more Australian squads