Aussie whiz kid falls out of T20 team, X-factor is ‘batting too low'
Australia defeated the West Indies 5-0 in the Caribbean, with Tim David's century Owen's maiden half century, Glenn Maxwell's athleticism and a well rounded bowling attack proving formidable.
The Aussies head to north Queensland and Darwin for three T20s and three ODIs starting on Sunday against South Africa, who beat Australia in the World Test Championship final.
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Owen was a breakout star of last summer, leading the Hobart Hurricanes to the Big Bash title, before carrying his blistering stroke play into the international arena.
With the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka just over six months away, Owen has the chance to secure his spot in the Australian XI, most likely at Fraser-McGurk's expense.
'Mitch Owen and Matt Short are quality players,' Julian told news.com.au.
'They're two guys that'll keep Australia right in the hunt heading into the World Cup next year.'
Fraser-McGurk is yet to make a score of significance for Australia, with his best T20 form coming in the Indian Premier League. The 23-year-old has 98 runs from seven ODI innings and 115 runs from eight T20 innings.
Last summer Mark Waugh urged Fraser-McGurk to hit the ball along the ground early in his innings, before opening the shoulders and swinging for sixes.
Fraser-McGurk and Cooper Connolly have been left out of the squad for the games against South Africa, with Australia bolstered by the return of Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head.
Julian highlighted the flexibility of Australia's batting line-up as a strength, with Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Short, Owen, Josh Inglis, Mitch Marsh and Cameron Green all capable of opening the batting if needed.
'I love the way that the selectors have sort of chopped and changed (the batting order),' Julian said.
'I love the way that they try to work out combinations. I think Marsh and Cam Green will stay at the top of the order, but what the selectors want to do is they want to make sure that they can have those guys in the middle order that is quite flexible.
'If they lose an early wicket, they might go Inglis at three, but if they don't lose an early wicket, they can slide anyone up the other.
'They're just gonna react to what's happening in the game. I don't think you can sort of predict who's gonna bat one to five.
'If something happens early in the overs, they'll go, right, you go in and then Tim David might go in, and then Maxwell might go.
'I love Maxwell probably in the middle rather than opening the batting, but the selectors are just looking more about combinations and they've got the right players to do it to adapt their games.'
David has been a lock in Australia's T20 side since the 2022 World Cup, and but he has largely been relegated to middle order cameo roles for Hobart and the Aussies.
'I love how Tim David has been pushed up the order. He needs to spend more time at the crease. He's better than just 10 or 15 balls,' Julian said.
'I've been saying for a couple years in BBL cricket, I think Tim David bats way too low for the Hurricanes.
'He's good enough to be batting No. 3 or No. 4 in BBL cricket, I think he can do more than that and he deserves more opportunities.'
The three-match T20 series begins on Sunday in Darwin, where a sold out crowd of 10,000 is expected at Marrara Stadium for the first international cricket fixture in the Northern Territory in 17 years.
'The key for us, which I'm looking forward to, especially in the T20s, is Mitch Owen and then you've got Matt Short back in the side as well, and Tim David. So I think
'That's going to be something exciting. Those power players could be the key.
'Then obviously you've got Mitch Marsh and Cam Green, who had a great West Indies tour, so. That's going to be pretty tough for South Africa.
'Australia's T20 squad at the moment looks really solid. They're looking to play win nine on the trot, which is a bit of a record as well.
'If there's a bit in the pitch, it will help the South Africans because they've got a quality bowling unit. But that Aussie squad looks very good and dangerous.'
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