Delhi Capitals’ ‘X-factor’ Jake Fraser-McGurk Lights up IPL 2024 – News18

Delhi Capitals signed Harry Brook for Rs 4 crore at the IPL auction last December hoping to strengthen their batting line-up. 9 days before the IPL 2024 opener, Harry Brook pulled out of the competition citing personal reasons. DC’s plans took a hit but then their head coach Ricky Ponting dialled a 22-year-old rookie Aussie named Jake Fraser-McGurk who was asked to fly down to India as a replacement player.

Fraser-McGurk readily agreed and landed his maiden IPL deal on the back of some eye-catching and sometimes jaw-dropping performances while playing domestic and league cricket. He had bashed a 29-ball century when playing List A cricket at home, breaking the 31-ball record of AB de Villiers last October.

Stay updated with the latest from IPL 2024, including top contenders for the IPL 2024 Orange Cap and IPL 2024 Purple Cap. Explore the complete IPL 2024 Schedule, IPL 2024 Points Table and players with the Most Sixes, Most Fours and Most Fifties in IPL 2024

Following that, he had an impressive Big Bash League which led to a maiden Australia-call-up. He took his talent to the ILT20 earlier this year where he slammed 109 runs off 51 deliveries across three matches for DC’s sister franchise Dubai Capitals.

On Saturday, during an IPL 2024 clash between DC and Mumbai Indians, Fraser-McGurk went on an absurd boundary-hitting spree as he smashed 84 off just 27 deliveries. Astonishingly, 80 off his runs came in just boundaries (11 fours, 6 sixes).

Fraser-McGurk was just 16 when he announced his arrival in Australian domestic circuit. On his first-class and List-A debuts, he scored half-centuries but failure to build on the promise resulted in Victoria downgrading his contract which forced him to search for greener pastures. He would later join South Australia and polish his reputation of being a big hitter.

On Saturday, Fraser-McGurk cleared his intentions from ball one. Luke Wood’s full length delivery was whipped away for a four to midwicket and that was just the start. The opener would take 19 runs from the over and he then greeted Jasprit Bumrah, who has been far ahead of his peers in IPL 2024, with a six – a slower delivery muscled over long-on.

“He played three games for Dubai Capitals and I think that was our scouting team was very keen on him. He played a couple of match-winning innings in ILT) and then, he went to play for Australia. Those knocks were something special. He just played three games (in ILT20) and we had a choice of picking a couple of players but we went for him (Fraser-McGurk),” DC coach Pravin Amre said after DC’s 10-run win over MI on Saturday evening.

“Whatever, we were watching of him in the nets, it was something different. X-Factor, we can say, Even today, he just opened the game in the six overs and because of his innings, we were 92 for no loss (in the Powerplay),” Amre added.

A day after his 22nd birthday, Fraser-McGurk was given his IPL debut and he celebrated with a quickfire fifty against Lucknow Super Giants, an innings comprising two fours and five sixed. Against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, he blasted an 18-ball 65 (five fours and seven sixes).

And then there was Saturday when he set the stage for DC’s match-winning total of 257/4.

So what’s the reason behind his ability to clear boundaries with such ease?

“I think it’s natural (ability). He believes in a stable base and has an excellent hand speed,” Amre said.

“When you’re batting in the Powerplay, you’ve got only one fielder on the leg side. So that’s a good area to hit. Even a mishit can also fetch you a boundary. But, if you see in this game, he played smartly. Even when the bowlers are going outside off, Fraser-McGurk the ability to hit on the offside too. I think his shot selection is very good,” he said.

Down South, another Australian has been giving nightmares to the bowlers. Travis Head of Sunrisers Hyderabad has scored 336 runs from 9 matches at a strike-rate of 212.42.

The possibility of Fraser-McGurk and Head teaming up as openers for the upcoming T20 World Cup would be a mouth-watering prospect for Australia.

“It’s exciting to see someone who’s playing (such) brilliant cricket. There’s nothing really more you can say than that. The amount of boundaries he’s hitting, it feels like he’s hitting them every ball, clean striking. It’s awesome to see and hopefully he can keep those innings up,” said MI’s Tim David, himself an Australian T20 World Cup hopeful.