KKR vs RCB: Glenn Maxwell joins new team amid struggles with RCB in IPL 2024
Updated - 18 Apr 2024, 04:34 PM
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell signed up with the Washington Freedom for the upcoming season of Major League Cricket (MLC) amid concerns over his availability for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the ongoing IPL 2024.
Maxwell joins fellow Australian cricketers Travis Head and Steve Smith, as well as Aussie legend Ricky Ponting, at the Washington Freedom, adding to the team's formidable lineup for the upcoming MLC 2024. The second edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC) will start after the conclusion of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Apart from Maxwell, Head, and Smith, Adam Zampa (Los Angeles Knight Riders), Spencer Johnson (Knight Riders), Tim David (MI New York), Matt Short (San Franciso Unicorns), and Jake Fraser-McGurk (San Franciso Unicorns) are the other Australian players who are set to play in the upcoming MLC 2024.
Extremely excited to get stuck in: Glenn Maxwell on MLC opportunity
Glenn Maxwell was quoted as saying in ESPN's Around the Wicket: “It's a tournament that I watched from afar last year and was extremely excited about hopefully playing this tournament one day and luckily enough the timings have aligned this year. I've been speaking to Ricky Ponting and a few other players a fair bit over the last little period and certainly extremely excited to get stuck in.”
Maxwell further revealed that the presence of Head, Smith, and Pointing, whom he knows well, at the Washington Freedom played a significant role in his decision to play in the MLC 2024.
The star all-rounder said that he thought about taking time off or participating in tournaments like the Hundred, but chance contributed to the growth of the MLC, which inspired him to sign the deal.
Meanwhile, Maxwell further opened up about his request to be axed from RCB's last IPL 2024 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), saying it wasn't like he needed a break from the tournament.
Instead, the Australian all-rounder felt he wasn't in the best XI, and he wanted to save captain Faf du Plessis and coach Andy Flower from having any tough conversations by happily asking them to drop him.
Glenn Maxwell's return to IPL 2024 is not fixed
The Australian all-rounder further revealed that he's unlikely to return for the RCB’s next game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 21 due to a minor hip injury. Maxwell said that he understands his situation and that this will offer him some time to get himself back on track.
Maxwell decided to prioritize recovery and avoid aggravating the condition with the aim of contributing long-term performance of his team. He stated, “It's not one of those things where I've set a date that I'll be out for three games then I'll come back whenever I'm ready. That's that's not how it works. I haven't been at a level that's good enough to warrant a spot on the side this year.”
Notably, RCB is presently standing at the bottom of the IPL 2024 points table with only 2 points from the 7 games so far in the tournament. RCB will next travel to Kolkata to face the hosts at the Eden Gardens on April 21 in the 36th match of the ongoing IPL 2024.
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Glenn Maxwell RCB IPL 2024 Major League Cricket (MLC) MLC 2024 Washington Freedom
