Glenn Maxwell, a specialist in limited overs cricket, is still hopeful about returning to Test cricket and sees the conclusion of the current ICC cycle as an ideal time to play an away series on the subcontinent. Only seven Test matches have Maxwell played for his nation; all of those red-ball matches have taken place outside of Australia, and he hasn’t played for his country since more than six years ago. Maxwell was a key player in Australia’s 2021 victory in Dubai at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and he was again a highlight in the team’s most recent victorious ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup run in India.
Even though Maxwell is aware that the limited-overs format of the game is more his style, the 35-year-old still believes he can contribute at the Test level and intends to keep pushing for a spot before Australia’s last series of the current World Test Championship cycle. Maxwell hopes to be featured in the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy match between Australia and Sri Lanka in the beginning of 2025. This series is expected to be very important leading up to the World Test Championship final that year. “I truly understand the present side’s circumstances. They’re the World Test winners and they’re playing some pretty fantastic cricket,” Maxwell remarked on Tuesday on the Australian radio station SEN.
“There’s not a lot of spots up for grabs as far as Tests at home, but I know that when it does come to a sub-continent tour I can be a real viable option to hopefully fill a role in that side. I don’t think there’s another sub-continent tour until early 2025. So, I’ll keep trying to plug away and hopefully get an opportunity at that stage, ” added Maxwell.
While many of his World Cup-winning teammates are getting ready for the start of a busy Test summer that includes a three-match series against World Test Championship pacesetters Pakistan and two matches against the West Indies, Maxwell is currently back home in Australia, getting ready for another domestic Big Bash League campaign. Before Australia’s triumphant World Test Championship final campaign earlier this year, there was much talk leading up to the summer about whether veteran opener David Warner would call it quits from Test cricket following the home Test against Pakistan in Sydney.
Mitchell Johnson, a former teammate, recently voiced his complaints about Warner, saying the seasoned opener shouldn’t be allowed to choose when to retire.Nevertheless, Maxwell chose to support his fellow World Cup winner instead of being involved in this debate. “I’m not going to throw my name into some headlines about this,” Maxwell stated. “But Davey’s been an absolute champion of Australian cricket for a long period of time and the selectors were pretty clear on what they thought of it (selecting him). I’m looking forward to seeing Davey in that first Test and him making a lot of runs this summer, ” Maxwell continued.
