"All yours now champion": Australia's Warner passes baton to young sensation Fraser McGurk following retirement

Gros Islet [Saint Lucia], June 26 (ANI): Following his retirement from international cricket, Australian opener David Warner shared a heartwarming post on social media, in which he passed on the baton to fire quick runs at the top for Aussies to the young, up and coming sensation Jake Fraser McGurk.

Following Australia's loss to India in the Super Eights clash of the ICC T20 World Cup and their elimination from the competition after Bangladesh's loss to Afghanistan, the curtains were finally drawn on Warner's illustrious international career. Having retired from Tests and ODIs earlier this year, Warner scored just six runs in his last international appearance. Warner did have a solid T20 WC, scoring 178 runs in seven games at an average of 29.66 and a strike rate of 139.06, with two half-centuries and best score of 56.

Warner took to Instagram, sharing a picture with Jake, writing to him, "All yours now champion".

The 22-year-old Fraser McGurk, who considers Warner as one of his idols, rose to stardom after breaking AB de Villiers' record for fastest List-A century last year in October, making a 29-ball ton for South Australia against Tasmania. Later, he followed with a breakthrough Big Bash League (BBL) season in Australia during the year-end and start of 2024, scoring 257 runs in nine matches at an average of 32.12 and a strike rate of over 158 and two half-centuries.

McGurk made his international debut for Australia in ODIs against West Indies in February, scoring a quickfire 41 in 18 balls in his second game. He was signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) as a replacement player for South African pacer Lungi Ngidi in March and set the Indian Premier League (IPL) on fire with his hard-hitting style.

In nine IPL 2024 matches, Jake scored 330 runs at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 234.04, with four half-centuries and best score of 84. He smashed 32 fours and a massive 28 sixes in the tournament in just 141 balls, collecting the bulk of his runs through them. Fraser also re-wrote powerplay record books and became the first-ever IPL player to have three half-centuries in less than 20 balls and the fastest to score a half-century for Delhi (in just 15 balls).

Meanwhile, Warner retires from international cricket with a resume he would be proud of and a lot of players would envy.

In 112 Tests for Australia, Warner scored 8,786 runs at an average of 44.59, with 26 centuries and 37 fifties in 205 innings. His best score is 335*. He is the fifth-highest run-getter for Australia in Tests.

Playing 161 ODIs, Warner scored 6,932 runs at an average of 45.30 and a strike rate of above 97, making 22 centuries and 33 fifties in 159 innings. His best score is 179. He is the sixth-highest run-getter in ODIs for Australia.

Warner is Australia's highest run-getter in T20Is, scoring 3,277 runs in 110 matches at an average of 33.43 and a strike rate of 142.47. He scored a century and 28 fifties, with the best score of 100*.

With 18,995 runs in 383 games, 49 centuries, 98 fifties, two ICC Cricket World Cup titles, one ICC T20 World Cup and ICC World Test Championship title each, Warner retires as Australia's second-highest run-getter and one of the greatest all-format openers of all time. (ANI)