While the bulk of Australia’s cricketing attention has been on the race to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the Test order, another selection shootout will commence today in Melbourne.
With regular 50-over opener Travis Head away on paternity leave, Jake Fraser-McGurk will partner Matthew Short at the top of the order in the first ODI against Pakistan (2:30pm AEDT).
Short partnered Head in four of the five ODIs Australia played in England, but failed to set the world alight (average 33.66, strike rate 129.48), leaving the door open for Fraser-McGurk to lay his claim.
The last of Fraser-McGurk’s two ODI caps to date came in February, but he is a strong chance of playing all three matches against Pakistan.
With Head a certain starter at next year’s Champions Trophy, and there being limited one-day opportunities in between, whoever of Short and Fraser-McGurk shines best can consider themselves the frontrunner to start at the showpiece tournament.
