April 6, 2025: Former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned the consistency of Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) star batter Glenn Maxwell in IPL 2025. During a commentary segment, Manjrekar made an astronomical comparison, likening Maxwell’s form to that of Halley’s Comet, which is visible once every 76 years. This was after Maxwell’s underwhelming performance in PBKS’s run chase against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 5.
Maxwell entered the crease in the seventh over of the innings as PBKS struggled with early wickets. While he managed to hit a six and three fours, his performance was far from spectacular, and he was dismissed by Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana. Manjrekar, who was clearly disappointed with the performance, made a strong statement about Maxwell’s inconsistency in the IPL.
“Halley’s Comet orbits the sun and is visible from Earth once every 75 years. Just like that, Glenn Maxwell plays one good match in 75 games. It was last seen in 1986, and it will now be spotted in 2061. It’s the same case with Maxwell in batting. Glenn Maxwell is Halley’s Comet of Cricket,” Manjrekar remarked on JioHotstar.
In the commentary box with him was former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, who disagreed with Manjrekar’s harsh assessment. However, Sidhu conceded that Maxwell’s form has been inconsistent, stating that the Australian plays well in “one out of 25 games.”
Despite Maxwell’s underperformance, PBKS found a lone warrior in Nehal Wadhera, who fought valiantly in the chase. Wadhera scored a quick-fire 62 off 41 balls, including three sixes and four fours. His knock, however, wasn’t enough as PBKS fell short, posting 155/9 and losing the match to RR by 50 runs.
Maxwell’s poor form has been a topic of discussion throughout the season. On his PBKS debut, he was dismissed for a golden duck by Gujarat Titans’ Ravisrinvasan Sai Kishore. A review would have saved him, as ball-tracking technology showed the ball was missing the stumps. Maxwell didn’t bat in the following match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
The Australian all-rounder has struggled for runs this season, and his dip in form dates back to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he only managed 39 runs in three innings, including single-digit scores against Sri Lanka and India.
Maxwell’s struggles were reflected last year as well, where his stock in the IPL mega-auction declined. PBKS acquired him for Rs 4.20 crore, largely due to the presence of his former Australian teammate and PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting. If Maxwell’s form continues to falter, PBKS may look to replace him with wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, another Australian.
Maxwell had a forgettable previous season with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), scoring just 52 runs from nine innings at an average of 5.77. His form has left many questioning whether he can live up to the expectations of being one of the most expensive buys in IPL history.