IPL 2025 Auction: Gill To Open With Fraser-McGurk? 3 Teams That Can Buy Australian Star

Shubman Gill's GT might target Fraser-McGurk [Source: IPLT20.com]Shubman Gill's GT might target Fraser-McGurk [Source: IPLT20.com]

To the delight of cricket fans across the globe, the much-anticipated IPL mega auction is all set to be held in Jeddah on November 24 and 25. Ten IPL franchises have already set their eyes on 574 players, who will be up for grabs in the mega auction. While several Indian superstars, including KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer will likely break the banks, the eyes will also be on several T20 assets from all around the world. 

Regarding Australia, the 2021 World T20 champions have numerous international and BBL talents who will go under the hammer during the IPL 2025 auction. Jake Fraser-McGurk will be a big name on the list, with multiple franchises likely to bid for him in the marquee event. So, as the IPL mega auction nears, let's analyse and find out which teams might go after the Australian batting sensation. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Why Will RCB Target Jake Fraser-McGurk?

  • Jake Fraser-McGurk is an explosive opening batter and can capitalise on M. Chinnaswamy stadium's flat batting track to provide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with brisk starts in the powerplay. 
  • As RCB have retained Virat Kohli as an opener, they need someone like Fraser-McGurk, who can play the aggressor's role at the top order and allow the Indian great to play his natural game. 
  • RCB have a whopping budget of INR 84 Crores and generally focus on adding firepower to their top order in the auction. So, it's unlikely that they will skip bidding for Fraser-McGurk when his name gets displayed on the board. 

Punjab Kings

Why Will PBKS Target Jake Fraser-McGurk?

  • Punjab Kings have the maximum amount (INR 110.5 Cr) in the purse among all IPL teams. They have retained only two players and are searching for dynamic cricketers to build a solid team from scratch. 
  • Jake Fraser-McGurk is certainly a brilliant option for PBKS, as they can pair him up with Prabhsimran Singh at the top order. The batter was exceptional for Delhi Capitals, amassing 330 runs at an unbelievable strike rate of 234.04, at Arun Jaitley Stadium, which provided similar playing conditions as Punjab's home turf in Mullanpur. 
  • Also, Punjab Kings have a knack for going after reputed overseas names, so Fraser-McGurk is expected to be on their radar during the mega auction. 

Gujarat Titans

Why Will GT Target Jake Fraser-McGurk?

  • After releasing Wriddhiman Saha, Gujarat Titans are searching for a quality opener to start the proceedings alongside Shubman Gill.
  • Considering they have accumulators like Gill and Sai Sudharsan, GT must buy a swashbuckling batter who can help them capitalise on the field restrictions in the powerplay. 
  • In such a scenario, Jake Fraser-McGurk could be a perfect fit in their team, as his fireworks will allow the likes of Gill and Sudharsan to play their natural game and bat long. They have a solid budget of 69 Crores, and the Australian opener could be a very smart purchase for them in the auction.