Ponting ponders daring alternative as Australia’s opener against India in Champions Trophy semi-final

Ricky Ponting has declared he would back big-hitting youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk to slot in as Matt Short’s replacement at the top of Australia’s batting order for their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final clash against India.

Short picked up a quad injury in Australia’s group match against Afghanistan. His absence promotes traveling reserve Cooper Connolly into the squad. The West Australian, like Short, is a powerful hitter that is also a capable off-spin bowler, proving to be a like-for-like replacement.

While left-armer Connolly would likely contribute in both disciplines for Australia, particularly on Dubai’s spin-friendly wicket, Ponting is putting his faith in Fraser-McGurk.

Fraser-McGurk, who is nearing his 23rd birthday, is a swashbuckling batter in the shorter formats of the game. He has so far made seven appearances for Australia in ODIs, hitting at a strike-rate of 132. Production, though, has been fleeting, averaging just 14 runs with a top score of 41.

"He can slot straight into that position," he said in the latest edition of The ICC Review.

"To be honest, that’s the way I would probably go and just hope that he has one of his days because in games like these, the semi-finals, must-win, big games, you need to throw caution to the wind.

"I think he's the sort of player that if you back him, and give him an opportunity, he might just be good enough to win a big game for you like that."

The ICC Hall of Famer also suggested some potential alternatives, including the batters that already feature in Australia’s playing XI at the Champions Trophy.

"They could even move Steve Smith up there and open the batting,” Ponting said. “He's done a terrific job when he's opened in T20 cricket the last couple of years. He's a good player of fast bowling, which was one of the points I made before trying to negate that new ball and get through to those middle-overs.

"They could put [Josh] Inglis up there if they wanted to, and then leave someone like Cooper Connolly as another left-hander in the middle order that could give them some spin options."

Ultimately, though, Ponting would give Fraser-McGurk the nod – partially due to his excellent performance in the IPL in 2024, where he finished with a strike-rate of 234 from nine innings.

"He probably has been a little bit disappointed with his output in the opportunities that he's had in the last six months,” Ponting said. “So this might just be the game where he can do something...like he did in the IPL with the Delhi Capitals last season."