Australia have to fill a spot on the prime of the order for his or her semi-final towards India on Tuesday, after a quadriceps harm dominated out Matthew Short for the rest of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Former captain Ricky Ponting has declared he would again big-hitting teenager Jake Fraser-McGurk to fit in as Quick’s substitute for Australia’s semi-final conflict towards India.
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Quick picked up a quad harm in Australia’s group match towards Afghanistan. His absence promotes touring reserve Cooper Connolly into the squad. The West Australian, like Quick, is a robust hitter and a succesful off-spin bowler, proving to be a like-for-like substitute.
Whereas left-armer Connolly gives all-round worth, Ponting is placing his religion in Fraser-McGurk.

“He can slot straight into that place,” Ponting mentioned in The ICC Assessment. “That is the best way I’d in all probability go — simply hope he has one among his days. In must-win video games like these, you could throw warning to the wind.”
Fraser-McGurk is understood for his explosive batting within the shorter codecs. He has featured in seven ODIs for Australia, hanging at 132, although his returns have been inconsistent, averaging simply 14 with a prime rating of 41.
Ponting believes Fraser-McGurk’s attacking mindset may show decisive. “He is the kind of participant that, in the event you again him, he may simply be ok to win a giant recreation for you.”
Ponting additionally floated various choices, together with changes throughout the present XI. “They might transfer Steve Smith as much as open. He is performed a terrific job in T20 cricket in recent times and performs quick bowling nicely. That would assist negate the brand new ball risk and get by to the center overs.”

One other chance is wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis. “They might put Inglis up there and go away somebody like Connolly within the center order, including a left-hander and one other spin possibility.”
Regardless of these choices, Ponting stays agency on Fraser-McGurk, citing his blistering IPL 2024 efficiency, the place he struck at 234 throughout 9 innings.
“He is in all probability been a bit dissatisfied together with his output within the final six months,” Ponting admitted. “However this may simply be the sport the place he can do one thing… like he did within the IPL with the Delhi Capitals final season.”