Budding Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk feels he did not earn a place in Australia's T20 World Cup squad despite his strong run of form for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
Last week, the 22-year-old was left out of Australia's squad ahead of next month's tournament in the United States and West Indies.
In the statement announcing the squad, chairman of selectors George Bailey named Fraser-McGurk among a group who "were all a part of long conversations" for selection.
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Fraser-McGurk has been a standout in the IPL following injuries to fellow Aussies David Warner and Mitch Marsh.
While the young gun made a compelling case for selection after making his debut last month, he was not surprised he was left out, with Australia spoilt for choice of top-order batters.
"It didn't really bother me a hell of a lot because I wasn't in this position to sort of … feel like I've earned that yet. World Cup cricket is a lot different to IPL and franchise cricket," Fraser-McGurk told the Willow Talk podcast.
"There are two ways you can look at it. You can look at it through, 'This is what I've done to prove my case,' and then there's also, 'Look, a month and a half ago I wasn't even in the picture.
"[The selectors] probably had a good idea … of what it was a month-and-a-half ago trying to build that, how they can get the connection in that team. And it's also hard to fit in. You've got David Warner, our best opener ever in three formats. You've got Travis Head, who's lighting it up over here and has lit up for the past 18 months. And then Mitch Marsh is the same and he's also the captain."
Fraser-McGurk announced himself to the international cricket scene during his ODI debut against the West Indies earlier this year, making 41 runs from 18 balls at the top of the order.
He is yet to make his T20 international debut which could have influenced the selectors' snubbing.
However, Fraser-McGurk said selectors had indicated that he could still travel to the tournament as a reserve player.
"I can't really see myself batting five or six because we're pretty set there with Timmy David, Cam Green — those sort of blokes. So that's the way I think about it. That's fine. There's hopefully going to be more time for that," he said.
"And if I do somehow get a travelling reserve [spot] then great, I can get a good experience there or something like that."
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