Steve Smith backs Jake Fraser-McGurk after dual Sri Lankan failures

He’s been picked on potential and a couple of teasing innings but as criticism grows of Jake Fraser-McGurk his Australian captain has shot back.

Jake Fraser-McGurk’s ODI selection is under scrutiny. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Australian ODI captain Steve Smith is adamant young bating tyro Jake Fraser-McGurk can be “dangerous” in more favourable batting conditions set to be on offer during the Champions Trophy in Pakistan despite two failures in Sri Lanka and growing questions about his place in the squad.

The 22-year-old failed twice after being called up for the two-game series against Sri Lanka, making two in the opening match and then only nine in the record 174-run loss on Friday night.

Despite only making 98 runs from seven ODIs, with 41 of those coming in what was supposed to be a breakout innings against the West Indies in just his second international match, Fraser McGurk was named among the injury replacements for Australia’s 15-player Champions Trophy squad.

Jake Fraser-McGurk made only 11 runs in two ODI innings in Sri Lanka (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

A last-gasp Big Bash score of 95 off 46 balls was another tease from the talented tyro who, outside of that effort, has just one other score above 20 in his past 10 innings across all cricket.

But after the Australians were undone by Sr Lanka’s spinners who took 15 wickets across two games in Colombo, Smith suggested better batting wickets in Pakistan could help Fraser-McGurk produce the type of innings his potential has suggested he has in his arsenal.

While conceding Fraser McGurk didn’t “get going” in Sri Lanka, Smith said he deserved his place in the squad.

“Yeah, look, he’s obviously a very aggressive player,” Smith said.

“He’s got all the shots around the ground, and yeah, I think it’s just picking them to play at the right time and he hasn’t quite got going here.

“But he played a couple of nice shots out there and we know the talent that he possesses so that’s why he’s in this squad.

I’m still yet to see what people think they see in Jake Fraser-McGurk. He’s has minimal technique and a propensity to throw his wicket away rapidly. Another prime example there. #SLvAUS

— Lachlan Jeffery (@LachlanJeffery) February 14, 2025

“He’s dangerous, I think the wickets in Pakistan potentially suit him so yeah I think he’s going to learn a lot just being around the group,

continuing to work with all of us as the coaches and just talking about the game and yeah, you’ll definitely take a lot out of that.”

Without frontline bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood, as well as all-rounders Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis, who were all part of the original squad for the Champions Trophy, said it was likely line-ups would change from game to game during the tournament/

But he also backed batting gun Marnus Labuschagne, who missed the second ODI after a lean run during the Test series in Sri Lanka, would likely play in the opening game against England in Lahore on February 22,

“Marnus has done well under pressure so I’m sure he’s going to be spoken about for that first game in Pakistan,” Smith said.

we’ll talk over the next three or four days about which way we want to head and the personnel that we want in the teams.

“And you know, that could change game to game, depending on who we’re coming up against and what we think the surface is going to do as well.

“So we’ve got a 15 -man squad, quite a few batters in that in that squad that we could choose from and yeah we’ll pick whatever we feel is best for each scenario we face.”

Originally published as Steve Smith backs Jake Fraser-McGurk after dual Sri Lankan failures