When Mitchell Marsh got injured, Delhi Capitals were faced with the option of either going back to Shai Hope, the batter, or taking the risk of playing an all-rounder who can smash the ball to all corners of the park on his day and also roll his arm over for a few overs of pace bowling. They opted for the latter and introduced Jake Fraser-McGurk to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

When did Mitchell Marsh get injured?

How did Delhi come to acquire Jake Fraser-McGurk?

It would be surprising to know that the 22-year-old tearaway Australian hitter was not even in the scheme of things for the Capitals and came in as a replacement for pacer Lungi Ngidi. However, because of his batting abilities, Fraser-McGurk was taken to be the replacement for Englishman Harry Brook who did not join DC for IPL 2024. It was confirmed when the Capitals signed Proteas bowler Lizaad Williams as Brook’s replacement.

Why has McGurk been a blessing in disguise for the Capitals?

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In his first game of the IPL, Fraser-McGurk showcased his prowess with the bat when he smashed all the Lucknow pacers with disdain. His pull shots and hooks were class apart.

 

Since 2023, Fraser-McGurk has taken his game to the next level and is striking at the rate of 164. He changes the entire pace of the chase against Lucknow and now looks like a rock-solid option at number three for Delhi.

In the powerplay, the Victoria batter has improved his strike rate from 136 before 2023 to 174 since 2023. Among all the Capitals batters in IPL 2024, who faced more than ten deliveries, Fraser-McGurk has the best attacking shot percentage (89%). This one statistic is enough to show how he has lifted his game that among stars like Pant, Warner, and Marsh, he has the best attacking intent.

First Published: Apr 16 2024 | 11:21 PM IST