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Jake Fraser-McGurk has been given an early chance to become Australia's next destructive white-ball batter after being called into the one-day squad to face West Indies.
Cricket Australia confirmed on Monday that Glenn Maxwell would be rested from the three home ODIs, citing workload management in a big year for Twenty20s.
Jhye Richardson has also been ruled out with his side strain, prompting officials to call Queenslander Xavier Bartlett into the squad as his replacement.
But it is the inclusion of Fraser-McGurk that is particularly fitting, given the 21-year-old is viewed by many as the next Glenn Maxwell in Australia's limited-overs set-up.
The Victorian blitzed domestic cricket this season, belting a world-record 29-ball century for South Australia in November.
A maiden Sheffield Shield century followed, before a damaging Big Bash League campaign for the Melbourne Renegades.
The right-hander was the Renegades' leading run-scorer, with 257 at an average of 32.12, while his 18 sixes were second only to Matt Short.
The performances prompted strong praise from Maxwell, who similarly made his name as a hard-hitting young batsman in white-ball cricket.
"No one in Australia is better to watch then Fraser-McGurk," Maxwell posted on social media platform X last month.
"Easily the most talented young batter in the country. His potential doesn't actually have a ceiling."
If selected to face West Indies on February 2 at the MCG, Fraser-McGurk will become Australia's youngest debutant in ODIs since Cameron Green in 2020.
It also follows chances given to Tanveer Sangha earlier this year, while West Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie is also part of the ODI squad.
Bartlett could also potentially form part of Australia's next generation of bowlers in white-ball cricket.
The Brisbane Heat quick has been the leading wicket-taker in the BBL this year, taking 17 at an average of 14.82.
He joins a pace battery of Lance Morris, Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis for games in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, with Hardie and Green also there as all-rounders.
Australia is yet to announce its squad for the three-match T20 series that follows, but indicated on Monday that Maxwell would form part of it.
AAP
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