Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has cautioned Jake Fraser-McGurk that if he doesn’t deliver early in the tournament, he could find himself sidelined at Delhi Capitals, emphasizing the unforgiving nature of IPL franchises when it comes to poor form.
Fraser-McGurk was initially brought into the Capitals squad as an injury replacement last year, making an impressive impact by scoring 330 runs in nine innings, including four fifties. His strike rate of 234.04 was the second-highest in the tournament. However, despite his strong debut season, Delhi chose not to retain him directly, instead reacquiring him at the IPL auction using the ‘Right to Match’ card for Rs 9 crore.
Since then, his T20I form has dipped, with the young batter managing just 382 runs in his last 24 matches at an average of 15.91 and a strike rate of 136.91.
“Delhi has shown great faith in keeping him at the franchise. It’s important he starts well because IPL franchises, owners, and coaches don’t tolerate poor form for too long,” Gilchrist told Fox Cricket.
“If you start a tournament well, that buys you time to settle in and play with confidence. But Jake knows he needs to perform from the get-go to establish himself and contribute to his team.”
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Gilchrist believes Fraser-McGurk could thrive at Arun Jaitley Stadium, where the flat pitch and short boundaries suit aggressive stroke play—but only if he paces himself wisely.
“The pitch was incredibly high-scoring last year. The opportunities will be there, but it’s up to him to keep a level head,” Gilchrist said.
“He’s a grounded player, but he needs to strike the right balance—executing his skills without rushing things. Like everyone, I love watching him play, and hopefully, he can put together some big innings.”
The 18th edition of the IPL kicks off on Saturday, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Delhi Capitals will begin their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on March 24 at Visakhapatnam’s ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
