• By Namrata Vijay
  • Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:05 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Ex-Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has lauded youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk and called him one of the upcoming talents to watch out for in international cricket. While praising Fraser-McGurk's batting prowess, he also highlighted that the youngster has scope for improvement and can work on his style of play.

Fraser McGurk didn't play in Australia's first T20I against England on Wednesday in Southampton and his image of being an explosive batter has grown ever since he made his debut in IPL this year. During an interaction on Sky Sports, Ponting acknowledged that Fraser McGurk does have potential and that he can become one of Australia's key players in all the formats.

"He's an extreme talent. He's a ball-striking talent. He's still very much of a rough diamond though. Like I, I'm not sure in his head he's worked out exactly the right way to go about it yet. I mean, he only goes one way, but when he's thinking about hitting the ball to different parts of the ground is when you see the best Jake Fraser-McGurk quite often," Ponting was quoted as saying on Sky Sports.

Also Read: Australia beat England by 28 runs in 1st T20I in Southampton 

"He'll get sort of stuck in trying to hit him one which is normally down over long-on or to mid-wicket. But if he thinks about scoring 360 degrees around the ground, he's as clean a striker as I think I've ever seen. He's probably 5 ft 10, he's not a big kid, but he hits the ball extremely hard and he's got no fear, and he's a gun in the field. He's someone that I think that in the future can be a three-format player for Australia," he concluded.

Ponting made these comments, especially at a time when Australian cricket is going through a transition after David Warner's retirement. Both the fans and former cricketers have said that Fraser-McGurk can be successful as a top-order batter like he had done for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024.

He might have missed the series opener against the Phil Salt-led side but he is still considered a player to watch out for. Ponting's belief shows the belief that he will perform brilliantly in big matches and that he continues to improve his style of play.

As Australian cricket undergoes this transition, fans will keep a close eye on Fraser McGurk's journey, and former cricketers like Ponting will have high expectations from him. His aggressive style of play has made him one of the most exciting upcoming talents in the history of their cricket.