George Bailey reveals reason Jake Fraser-McGurk missed out on Australia's T20 World Cup squad

Jake Fraser-McGurk's omission from Australia's T20 World Cup squad came as a shock to many cricket fans as he has been in scintillating form in the Indian Premier League (IPL). But according to Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey, he lacked one crucial aspect. Bailey said the selection panel had to be brutal when cutting the squad to 15 and the young batting sensation's game simply wasn't flexible enough to warrant inclusion.

Fraser-McGurk has been a revelation for Australia in T20 cricket having made 257 runs in the latest Big Bash tournament. While in his rookie tournament for the Delhi Capitals, the 22-year-old has scored three fifties in his first five games, which included a stunning 84 off just 27 balls against Mumbai.

Fraser-McGurk burst onto the international scene earlier this year, smashing 41 runs off 18 balls against the West Indies. And with his form impossible to ignore in Australia and in the IPL, Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting recently moved Fraser-McGurk up the order in place of David Warner.

Since then the 22-year-old has been the talk of the IPL world, having dispatched many of the world's best bowlers over the fence. And despite replacing veteran Aussie opener Warner in the IPL side, there was no spot in the Australian squad for the promising 22-year-old.

Speaking to media on Wednesday, Bailey admitted Fraser-McGurk was "close" to getting selected but he just wasn't versatile enough. "His form's been great of late, which is fantastic, but the way we're functioning at the top of the order with the three guys we've had there has been really strong as well," Bailey said. "It certainly looks like the top of the order is where he's best suited.

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"We think we've got some other guys that have got some good flexibility around where they'll bat … and we have had players perform in different batting roles to cover off any eventuality."

George Bailey says Jake Fraser-McGurk is headed in the right direction

Despite him being overlooked for the T20 World Cup squad, Bailey says the youngster is heading in the right direction and that the feedback from those around him at Delhi was positive. "In the last three weeks, the performances he's putting up are certainly eye-catching," he said.

"We picked him in a couple of the one-dayers across the summer … he's a young guy who's really eager to learn. The feedback from those he's been around at Delhi is that he's really eager to learn and keep growing his game – he's not someone who thinks he's got it all made and is the complete package."

The likes of David Warner, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh will likely feature at the top of the batting order when Australia kick off their tournament against Oman on June 6. And Bailey says the consensus was Fraser-McGurk was up against those players for a place in the side.

The selectors also were of the view that Fraser-McGurk wasn't suited to play a finishing role in the middle-order. Although Australia can technically make alterations to the squad without ICC approval up until May 25, Bailey said the only way Fraser-McGurk would find his way into the squad is if there were injuries.