DC head coach Ricky Ponting believes the Indian Premier League, the world’s top domestic T20 competition, offers invaluable experience for developing talents like Jake Fraser-McGurk. Speaking before DC’s upcoming match against GT at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Ponting said the dynamic opener Fraser-McGurk still has much room to grow, and the IPL is the perfect place for him to hone his game.
Ricky Ponting was awestruck by Fraser-McGurk’s electrifying 18-ball 65 against SRH. His blistering innings put the visiting side in worry, but after the youngster’s dismissal, SRH managed to win the game by 67 runs.
“There is no doubt Fraser-McGurk is a highly talented young cricketer, but he still has room to grow. His game has areas which need improvements, and the IPL is the ideal place to develop, as it is by far the top domestic T20 competition globally,” stated Ponting.
“In the last game he scored 65 runs in 18 balls, which was impressive. However, it is important that he learns from that performance and aims to make bigger scores, like the century that Yashasvi Jaiswal scored last night. When top-order batters get the opportunity to make big scores, they must capitalize on it. That’s often the difference between winning and losing games,” he added.
The legendary cricketer expressed his desire to work with the promising young Australian top-order batter Fraser-McGurk. Fraser-McGurk has already made history by hitting the fastest List A century ever and showcased his game in the IPL as well.
“He is learning and I would like to continue working with him over the next couple of years. He plays with a simple game plan – hit the first ball for 6, the second ball for 6. We’re letting him play freely as he wants to.”
The DC head coach also heaped praise on young wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel, who played some useful cameos for DC while coming in as an impact player.
“We have seen Porel bat at number 3 on a few occasions. I believe he has the potential to become a star player. He has demonstrated real cricketing talent. He continues to develop his skills daily by training and understanding of the various facets of the game,” he concluded.