Delhi Capitals have signed Australian top-order batter Jake Fraser-McGurk as replacement for Lungi Ngidi for IPL 2024.

Ngidi is still recovering from the lower-back injury he suffered during the SA20 earlier in the year. Fraser-McGurk, who played three matches for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 this season, will join Delhi Capitals for his base price of INR 50 lakh. Fraser-McGurk was impressive in the ILT20, hitting 109 runs in his three innings, with a best of 54, at a strike rate of 213.72.

Fraser-McGurk, who also bowls some legspin, was listed as an allrounder at the last IPL auction. So far, though, he has only bowled four overs in professional cricket – and just the one in T20s.

Touted by Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting as a potential all-format star for Australia, the 21-year-old Fraser-McGurk made his international debut last month, playing two ODIs at home against West Indies.

He has played 37 T20s so far and strikes at 133.54.

As for Ngidi, Delhi Capitals was his second team in a stop-start IPL career, which started with Chennai Super Kings in 2018. In 2022, he was acquired by Delhi Capitals at the auction. Overall, he has played 14 IPL games, picking up 25 wickets with an economy rate of 8.30.

Ngidi being ruled out leaves Delhi with Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, Jhye Richardson and Rasikh Salam in the fast-bowling department, while Mitchell Marsh is their fast-bowling allrounder.

Earlier this week, England batter Harry Brook pulled out of IPL 2024 following the death of his grandmother in February. Delhi Capitals did not name a replacement for Brook.