The most controversial takeaway from Australia’s squad was the non-selection of Jake Fraser-McGurk. Notable commentators have criticised the decision, and Fraser-McGurk’s BBL team, Melbourne Renegades, posted a meme on X (formerly Twitter) hitting out at the Australia selectors. While Fraser-McGurk, who is still only 22, has yet to make his T20I debut for Australia and only has two international caps to his name, there was significant momentum behind the calls for his inclusion in the squad.

“I know I’m jumping’ the gun and I’m still young. But one day, I won’t be.” pic.twitter.com/o2erwcNF4X

— Melbourne Renegades (@RenegadesBBL) May 1, 2024

Fraser-McGurk’s career has been on the ascent for some time. He was part of Australia’s squad for the 2020 U19 World Cup squad, from which he was notably withdrawn after being scratched by a monkey, and made his T20 debut in the BBL later that year. After a lean couple of seasons, 2023 was the year his explosion in form started. He hit the fastest List A century ever in October off 29 balls, surpassing AB de Villiers’ record, and had his best Big Bash season to date. He scored 257 runs in eight innings, but, most importantly, his strike rate (158.64) was the highest of anyone with more than 150 runs in the league.

That season caught the attention of Delhi Capitals, who bought Fraser-McGurk for 50 lakh as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi. It’s the IPL that turbo-charged Fraser-McGurk into T20 World Cup contention. He came into the side against LSG, following a reshuffle after Delhi lost four out of their first five games. A 35-ball 55 on debut kicked off an explosive run, and he currently has 259 runs from six matches. Again, most important is his massive strike-rate (233.33) which is the highest of anyone with more than 100 runs in the competition.

Jake Fraser-McGurk is one of the in-form batters at the IPL but he was NOT selected in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad.

The right call?#T20WorldCup24 pic.twitter.com/eFfMOHlmwb

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) May 1, 2024

The other factor fuelling demands for Fraser-McGurk’s T20I inclusion is to inject some youth and energy into a team which looked stale in its struggle in the last edition. Cameron Green is the only player under 28 in the squad Australia named. Fraser-McGurk’s omission shows that the perceived safe-option has been preferred, with 11 of the 15 having been in the squad when Australia lifted the trophy in 2021.

The established names in Australia’s top three also made it hard for Fraser-McGurk to usurp his way into the squad. David Warner, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are set to make up the top three, with Marsh and Warner both filling the same roles last time. While Warner’s form in the IPL has been questionable and he’s struggled with a finger injury during the tournament, it would have been a massive coup for a 22-year-old to have ousted one of Australia’s greats. In addition, Warner has marked out the T20 World Cup as his last hurrah in international cricket for almost a year. Denying him that send-off would have been controversial.

Head has also been a force to be reckoned with in international cricket and the IPL over the last year. It’s not controversial that what Fraser-McGurk offers isn’t enough to justify inclusion over him. Marsh’s all-round capabilities also offer skills Fraser-McGurk does not.

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Unable to break into the top three, the question became whether he could suit another role to warrant inclusion in the 15 as a spare batter. Ultimately, George Bailey, chair of selectors, didn’t think so. “His form’s been great of late, and that’s fantastic,” said Bailey. “But the way we’re functioning at the top of the order with the three guys we’ve had there has been really strong as well. I’m not sure how much work he’s done in other positions, but it certainly looks like the top of the order is where he’s best suited. We think we’ve got some other guys that have got some good flexibility around where they bat.”

Australia have gone for multi-skilled players in four extras. Nathan Ellis has been included as an extra fast bowler, while Ashton Agar is the spare spinner. Of those who bat, Josh Inglis will be the spare wicket-keeper bat while Green offers an all-rounder option, and someone who can bat anywhere in the order. His recent form is not as good as McGurk’s, but his history of aggressive innings and potentially Marcus Stoinis’ and Glenn Maxwell’s injury history, has counted in his favour.

Green’s inclusion also means there’s no room for Steve Smith, who has been a controversial inclusion in Australia T20I squads for a number of years. His T20I strike-rate (125.45) is nowhere near the potential that others provide, and with ever advancing scoring rates, he no longer makes the grade in the format. He hasn’t picked up an IPL deal since 2021 and, like Fraser-McGurk, only offers the option to bat in the top order. Ultimately, the need for flexibility in selection, and covering multiple skillsets, meant Fraser-McGurk and Smith missed out.

Australia’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Wade (wk), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, Adam Zampa.