India vs Australia 2019, 2nd T20I - 'It'd be Nice to Bat Higher' - Glenn Maxwell

The India T20Is was the perfect opportunity for Glenn Maxwell to reinstate his trust in the selectors after he had been in and out of Australia team for over a year now. Pouching upon it, the all-rounder scored an unbeaten hundred in the second T20I in Bengaluru on Wednesday; helping Australia win the match by seven wickets. As a result, the Aussies clinched two-match T20Is – as they had won the first game by three wickets as well. Meanwhile, Maxwell, after the match, spoke on his knock and his chances of batting higher up the order in ODIs and the 2019 World Cup to follow.

‘If a chance comes up, I will grab it’ – Glenn Maxwell

During the India ODIs early this year, Maxwell batted lower down the order – at the seventh position. Though he found some runs under his belt, his batting slot left former players to question his credentials in ODI cricket. From Allan Border to legendary Shane Warne, a few of the stars talked on the same topic.

Meanwhile, during the second T20I against India, Maxwell had come to bat inside the PP overs (fifth over). As Australia had lost captain Finch and Marcus Stoinis early, the pressure fell on Maxwell’s shoulder. Much like the first game, he and D’Arcy Short began the rescue work – helping the Aussies with some runs in the middle order.

However, Glenn had other plans on Wednesday – as he whacked each of the bowlers over the boundary ropes. Not even the great Jasprit Bumrah got spared. The ‘Big-Show’, as Maxwell is referred to, remained unbeaten on 113 off 55 balls; hitting nine sixes and seven fours. Looking back at his innings and also how things have unfolded for him in the limited-overs cricket lately, Maxwell said,

“Even when I came in tonight, there were 15 overs to go, I think,” Maxwell said. “That’s still 15 overs to bat and I was able to get 100, so even if I’m doing that at No.7 or No.6 it doesn’t really matter. I suppose it’s just about me making the most of opportunities when I do get them.”

Maxwell sheds light on repeating heroics in ODIs

The conditions are different in the T20Is than the ODIs. As in One-Day cricket, where Glenn comes to bat – the ball often gets dry, and it doesn’t get onto the bat too easily; the pitch begins to break down a bit – giving the bowlers a slight advantage over batsmen. Glenn Maxwell reckoned to repeat the same heroics in the ODIs wouldn’t be easy, but he will take a lot of confidence from his second T20I hundred.

“Sometimes it’s not easy over here to come in at the end and just go like that because the ball is a lot older, guys are bowling death at you from the start and the ball’s spinning, the wickets deteriorate a lot quicker over here and even tonight at the end of the game I could see the wicket starts to dry out and there were scuffs all over it. In one-day cricket that’s a lot further into the game and it’s not as easy to go at the end.” Maxwell said.

Concluding on his thoughts, he said he would love to bat higher in the order but that is something the management will take care off.

“So it’d be nice to bat higher, but there’s obviously a lot of well-credentialed players in our top four and top five that thoroughly deserve their spot. So if an opportunity does come up, I’d love to take it.” Maxwell added.

Meanwhile, the ODI series will begin on March 2nd in Hyderabad.