Two South Australians, who have each played two ODIs, are in line to make their international T20 debuts
Fraser-McGurk in line for T20I debut, Agar called up
Perth patrons could be in line to see the Jake Fraser-McGurk show after the batting sensation was added to Australia's T20I squad for the final match of their Dettol series against West Indies.
The 21-year-old has been added to the squad alongside South Australian teammate Wes Agar with star paceman Josh Hazlewood returning home to Sydney to prepare for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.
Australia are chasing their second series sweep over the Windies in a week after Fraser-McGurk blasted an incredible 18-ball 41 in Canberra last Tuesday to help the host to a 3-0 win in the preceding ODI series.
His addition to the T20 sets up the exciting prospect of Fraser-McGurk and superstar Glenn Maxwell playing alongside each other after the latter smashed a record fifth T20 international century to help Australia head to Perth with an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.
“Although we’ve won the series, we want to win 3-0. That represents an exciting opportunity for us,” captain Mitch Marsh said after arriving in Perth on Monday.
Like Fraser-McGurk, Agar has also played two one-day internationals for Australia, both against the West Indies in his debut tour of the Caribbean in 2021.
The 27-year-old right-armer was the Adelaide Strikers' leading wicket-taker in KFC BBL|12 with 18, but only managed four games in BBL|13 (for two wickets at 67.50 and an economy of 10.38) as the club went all in on leg-spinners Cameron Boyce and Lloyd Pope.
Fraser-McGurk on the other hand enjoyed a career-best Big Bash summer.
He led the Melbourne Renegades' run scoring with 257 striking at 158.64, earning selection in the Team of the Tournament, with only Matt Short (25) and Josh Brown (23) hitting more sixes for the season than Fraser-McGurk's 18.
The young right-hander then went straight from his breakthrough BBL campaign into a maiden overseas T20 gig, upstaging Australian veteran David Warner after signing as a replacement player for his Dubai Capitals in the UAE's ILT20 tournament.
There he smashed a 21-ball half-century on debut, which he followed a score of 41, finishing a whirlwind three-game stint with 109 runs striking at 213.72 before heading back home to make his international debut as part of Australia's ODI squad.
Should he make his T20 international debut tomorrow night, Fraser-McGurk will have ticked off two of the three formats in a little over a week.
"I said to (South Australia coach) Jason Gillespie: 'I want to be a three-format player for Australia later in my career', that's my goal, I'm working towards that," the ex-Victorian batter told cricket.com.au after spearheading Australia's shortest 50-over chase of 41 balls in last Tuesday's third ODI in Canberra.
"That's the reason why I moved to South Australia … I wanted to get a fresh start.
"I didn't expect it to happen this quick, but 12 months is a long time in cricket and to be rewarded with some selection, it's really pleasing to me and my family."
Gillespie and Ricky Ponting are among the revered figures in Australia cricket who believe it won't be long before he debuts in the longer-format either.
"When you've got that sort of talent you need to be exposed to cricket at the highest level to work it out and I think Jake can do that yet," Ponting said last week after being appointed the Washington Freedom head coach.
"The natural talent that he's got reminds me a bit of David Warner's introduction into Australian cricket.
"I'm definitely backing (him) one day to play Test cricket."
Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies
February 9: Australia won by 11 runs
February 11: Australia won by 34 runs
February 13: Perth Stadium, 7pm AEDT
Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Wes Agar, Xavier Bartlett, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
West Indies T20I squad: Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas