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Despite Jake Fraser-McGurk’s poor form with the bat this IPL so far, Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel has thrown his weight behind the Aussie.
Axar Patel (left) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (AFP/PTI)
An enthralling Super Over, a thunderous victory, Delhi Capitals are back to the winning ways. Wednesday’s showdown against Rajasthan Royals was no short of drama when Mitchell Starc pulled off a heist in the final over and also in the first Super Over of the season, justifying why he fetches huge sums in players’ auctions. So far, it seems good, still, there is a little chink in the DC armour which needs to be addressed.
Regardless of their track record this season, the imbalance in the top-order keeps on getting exposed. Veteran Faf du Plessis is unavailable at the moment, so the franchise has promoted Abhishek Porel to fill the void. Porel showed promise against RR with a sublime 49 but what about the Australian opener – Jake Fraser-McGurk – who is still scratching the surface?
Fraser-McGurk, the find of IPL 2024, has been completely out of sorts this season. He has been DC’s go to opener but has terribly failed to give good starts. In 6 games, the Aussie has scored just 55 runs including a duck against Mumbai Indians. The slump in form might bother the Delhi fans but the skipper doesn’t look at it like a major crisis.
Addressing the media after stunning RR, Axar Patel accepted the fact that Fraser-McGurk hasn’t clicked as of yet and revealed that the management is in constant talks with the young batter.
But the DC captain has his faith in the Aussie, asserting that he could turn the tide on his day.
“Well, I think a bit different. When you keep on winning but one of your batters doesn’t perform, you still have the cushion to repeat the combination. We are aware of the fact that he hasn’t been ticking the box but it’s the same ground where he flourished last season. He is the kind of player who can turn the tide on his day. So, I think this way,” Axar said in response to a CricketNext query.
In contrast, Fraser-McGurk had a blast last IPL season. After making his debut against Lucknow Super Giants mid-season, the Australian young gun smoked 330 runs in 9 outings, hitting 28 sixes, 32 fours and accumulating four half-centuries.
Despite his heroics, DC finished sixth on the table.
Comes 2025, when Delhi are flying high and are the first team to secure 10 points this season, Fraser-McGurk’s highest score reads 38 (vs SRH) while a fifty still seems to be a distant dream. But Axar feels that instead of getting harsh on the batter, it would be wise to give him a long rope.
“We also keep on speaking with him but my theory is to give longer rope to my players. If someone is a match-winner for me, he deserves more chances. We know that he hasn’t been firing on all cylinders but that’s an ongoing process. But now that we have won [against RR], it’s time to enjoy the win,” he added.
Axar All Praise for Starc
While one Australian in DC squad is yet to make his mark this IPL season, another – the spearhead of the bowling attack – continues to make headlines. If anyone needed a reminder of why Mitchell Starc commands such hefty paycheques in the IPL, Wednesday night offered the perfect highlight reel.
Tasked with defending just nine runs in the final over of regulation play, Starc delivered a stunning sequence of yorkers to force a tie. And when called upon again in the Super Over, he held his nerve, conceding only 11 runs to seal a thrilling win for Delhi.
For his brilliance under pressure, Starc was deservedly named Player of the Match, helping his side return to winning ways.
“When he bowled the 18th over, I could see how well he was executing the yorkers,” Axar said after the match.
“In T20s, it’s common to get hit in the powerplay, but what really counts is how you bounce back. That’s what makes Starc such a big player and a legend for Australia. He’s clear in his plans and has a strong mindset.”
The exchange between the skipper and his premier bowler was simple yet telling.
“I was just reminding him to stay clear with his plans and trust himself,” Axar revealed. “And the response was always the same: ‘Don’t worry, skip. I’ll do it.'”
