Middle-order power-hitter Glenn Maxwell will no longer be seen in Australian colours in the 50-over format. He hung up his boots because he “wasn’t going to get to the 2027 World Cup”.
On The Final Word cricket podcast, Maxwell said, “During the Champions Trophy I felt like my body wasn’t at hundred per cent. I had a chat with George Bailey about the 27 World Cup and made it clear that I wasn’t going to get there. I didn’t want to hold on to a spot for selfish reasons.”
So far, only Aaron Finch and Alex Carey have paid tribute to Big Show.
But that’s not what we want to talk about.
If one digs deeper into Maxi’s ODI stats, something doesn’t add up.
Maxwell's ODI Stats (TTO Graphics)
The numbers game is basically not in his favour. Maxwell, who made his debut in 2012 on the back of just 14 domestic games for Victoria, said, “I was brought into the team way ahead of my time.”
But barring few performances, Maxwell has done next to nothing to help his case in the limited format. Maxwell's case is that of expectations exceeding hope
Failing to match Symonds, Bevan
When Maxwell made his way into the Aussie dugout, he had a responsible position to manage, primarily because he was expected to step into the shoes of Andrew Symonds and Michael Bevan.
But… he clearly couldn’t live up to the hype.
Symonds, by far the best Australian allrounder, played 198 matches where he amassed a total of 5,088 runs and six hundreds at an average of 39.75. In the bowling department, Symonds picked 133 wickets at an average of 37.25. That meant a wicket every six overs. Symonds was a crucial cog in the Australian wheel, which steamrolled every opposition to clinch back-to-back World Cups in the 2000s.
Before Symonds, there was a middle-order great who was terribly underrated. Chasemaster Michael Bevan.
Bevan scored 6,912 runs at an average of 53.58 with six hundreds to his name in 232 games. He bowled 67 times for the Kangaroos and picked 36 wickets.
While Bevan doesn’t have an upper hand with the ball, he’s got bragging rights with the bat.
Of late, Maxwell wasn’t walking a purple patch.
Back in 2022, Maxwell suffered a fractured fibula, tibia and ruptured his ankle ligaments.
Since then, the only time he stood up for Australia was during the 2023 World Cup, when he carried Australia from 90-6 to victory after scoring a 201* against an effervescent Afghanistan.
There is nothing more to write home about. Everyone saw the true potential of Maxwell but they also saw him remain far from consistent.
Now that Maxwell is gone, Cameron Green, Tim David and Ashton Turner can be given a look-in as Australia begin to fix their squad ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Thanks to the Indian Premier League, Green and David have been weaned into top international names and are capable enough to tackle pressure.
