David Warner backs this youngster to succeed in opening slot for Australia

David Warner (Pic: File Pic)

Australia's David Warner believes that Jake Frser-McGurk can fill the opening role for Australia and will have a "fantastic" career ahead.

Warner and Jake represented the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024. The 22-year-old was also part of Australia's T20 World Cup 2024 squad as a travelling reserve.

Warner's international career most likely ended after Australia crashed out of the Super 8 stage of the tournament after Afghanistan and India inflicted back-to-back defeats on them.

After Australia's exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, David Warner passed the baton to the youngster as the new opening batsman for the side in the T20Is and ODIs.

"Every time I put something out there, I become a selector, (but) I think he's definitely got the ability to do that," Warner said, as quoted from cricket.com.au.

Also Read: Young Darekar named Maharashtra chief selector

"He can lock it in. And a bit like myself, you (have to learn) how to play ... 50 over cricket. That's one thing that I learnt from Twenty20. I got dropped after seven games because I didn't really understand how to play the game of one-day cricket. So, from a one-day perspective, if he learns that and understands that, he'll have a fantastic career, especially batting in Australia. Best wickets in the world," he added.

With Australia looking for Warner's successor, Jake could be one of the names that could pop up.

Jake struck 51 across two matches off 23 deliveries during Australia's ODI series against West Indies earlier this year. Before that, he set a world record by slamming a ton in a mere 29-ball one-day ton in the Marsh Cup.

Also in the nine IPL 2024 matches, he smashed 330 runs with an average of 3.36 and a strike rate of 234.04. He had 4 half-centuries and a highest score of 84 runs.

However, the young opening batter isn't looking to follow Warner's footsteps in red-ball cricket. In the Sheffield Shield cricket, playing at the opening slot for South Australia didn't suit him, and the experiment ended up as a failure. He scored 19 runs as an opener in four innings, but he scored his first hundred in first-class cricket while playing at the number six spot.

"Last year when I was put up to open the batting in Shield cricket, that's not me ... it was torture. That's one thing I won't be able to do," Fraser-McGurk said to laughter on cricket.com.au's Unplayable Podcast during the tournament.

"Traditionalists have a go saying, 'Why don't you want to play Test cricket?' I never said I didn't want to. Everyone wants to. Obviously, everyone wants to, but it's just what opportunities will come and also am I going to be able to get that opportunity. I haven't had a great Shield career to date - hopefully. that changes. But my career started turning around when I was focusing on the white ball ... it's something to work on," he added.

After their T20 World Cup campaign ended on a bitter note, Australia will travel to Scotland for a three-match T20I series which will kick off on September 4.

(With ANI Inputs)