Australia captain Steve Smith has put his weight behind young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk heading into the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to commence on 19 February in Pakistan.
Fraser-McGurk is known for his explosive batting in domestic cricket, however, he has yet to replicate that in international cricket. So far, he has managed just 98 runs in seven ODIs at a dismal average of 14.
However, Smith has shown his faith in the young batter, highlighting his talent and ability to play big shots.
“Yeah, look, he’s obviously a very aggressive player,” Smith said after the series loss against Sri Lanka.
“He’s got all the shots around the ground, and I think it’s just about picking the right moments to play them.
“He hasn’t quite found his rhythm here, but he played a couple of nice shots, and we know the talent he possesses—that’s why he’s in this squad.”
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Steve Smith also shared his belief that the conditions in Pakistan could help Jake Fraser-McGurk regain confidence and play his natural game.
“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 well as the coaches, and just talking about the game,” he added.
It’s worth noting that the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi.
Australia will kick off their campaign against England in Lahore on 22 February, followed by the clash against South Africa on 25 February in Rawalpindi, while their last group match is scheduled against Afghanistan on 28 February in Lahore.
Meanwhile, the season finale is scheduled on 9 March in Lahore, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai.
Australia squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.
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