Mumbai, November 7: Australia batting sensation Jake Fraser-McGurk credits his move from Victoria to South Australia in 2023, for his success in cricket and is now eyeing a top-order spot in the white-ball lineup for the team. With the second ODI against Pakistan on Friday, Fraser-McGurk is eager to capitalise on the momentum he's built over the past year and prove his readiness for a permanent role in the squad.Ā  The 22-year-old first broke into Australiaā€™s domestic circuit at 17 with Victoria but felt his future was uncertain until former South Australia coach Jason Gillespie, now Pakistanā€™s head coach, offered him a lifeline. Josh Inglis Reacts to Being Named Australiaā€™s Captain for Third ODI and T20I Series Against Pakistan, Says ā€˜I Feel Privileged and Honouredā€™.

After moving to South Australia he quickly made a name for himself with a record-breaking 29-ball century in the One-Day Cup and a maiden Sheffield Shield hundred against his former Victorian teammates at the Adelaide Oval. Reflecting on his move to South Australia, Fraser-McGurk acknowledged the impact it had on his career.

ā€œI could almost pin most of this on the move to SA. I donā€™t think Iā€™d be getting these opportunities if Iā€™d stayed in Victoria playing club cricket. The move here has been great, and the boys in South Australia have been very welcoming. Itā€™s a great environment and culture to be around," Fraser-McGurk told cricket.com.au website.

With David Warnerā€™s retirement leaving a vacancy at the top of the order, Fraser-McGurk has had a few opportunities to make his mark in ODIs, though his scores so far (10, 41, and 16) show room for growth. He is currently competing with former Victorian teammate Matt Short, who has also impressed in recent outings, for the position of Travis Headā€™s opening partner.Ā Ricky Ponting Predicts Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024ā€“25 Scoreline in Favour of Australia, Says ā€˜Will Stick With 3ā€“1ā€™.

Known for his aggressive approach, Fraser-McGurk intends to keep up the pace, especially in partnership with Short. "The gameā€™s changing. We want to take on those first 10 overs rather than scrap to 240-250, which arenā€™t really winnable scores anymore. Weā€™re aiming for those high-300s totals as a winnable benchmark. And if we get off to a flyer in the first 10, it sets up a platform for the middle order to keep pushing," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 07, 2024 12:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).