Glenn Maxwell may have made a name for himself as one of the most dangerous big hitters in limited overs cricket but the Australia batter continues to harbour hopes of adding to his seven Test caps.
Glenn Maxwell last played a Test match in September 2017 but his ability to play spin well means that he has a chance of getting back into the squad during their tours of India and Sri Lanka later this year.
Glenn Maxwell Would Love To Be Available For Sri Lanka Tests
Glenn Maxwell hopes to wear a baggy green again in mid-2022 after his best chance of returning to Australia’s Test team in nearly five years went up in smoke over a schedule change. Glenn Maxwell never intended on getting married during the tour of Pakistan, and even went to lengths to avoid a clash when planning the special occasion, which had already been postponed.
But dates for the historic three-Test tour changed and overlapped with Glenn Maxwell’s traditional Hindu wedding to Vini Raman, which will consist of three events over a week in late March.
“I’d love to be available for the Sri Lanka Test matches this year. There’s still other options and other series that I could potentially put my hand up for,” said Maxwell.
The 33-year-old has scored 339 runs in seven Tests at an average of 26.1, with his only century in the longest format coming against India in Ranchi in March 2017.
Glenn Maxwell Would Miss Pakistan Tour And Early Part Of IPL 2022 For His Wedding With Vini Raman
Glenn Maxwell had to give Australia’s upcoming tour of Pakistan and possibly the early part of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) a miss due to his wedding.
“It’s just got to be right time, right place and hopefully I can sneak my way into the squad and add to a couple of Test runs and add a couple of Test caps. That’d be nice,” he said.
Glenn Maxwell is doubtful for the initial few games of this year’s IPL due to his wedding next month. He has also confirmed that he will miss the upcoming Pakistan tour due to his marriage. Australia will travel to Pakistan for the first time since 1998. The tour consists of 3 Tests, 3 ODIs, and one T20I. The Test series will begin on March 4.
“Originally when I organized the dates with CA there was a two-week gap where I could potentially have it. So when I sorted that out I was pretty happy that I wasn’t going to be missing in any series,” Maxwell said.
“And then I came to the CA contract meeting midway through last year and they said well this is (when) the Pakistan series [is on] and I thought well obviously that’s changed since the last conversation we had,” he added.
Although Test wickets in Pakistan are a relative unknown to Australia — having not toured the nation this century — Glenn Maxwell’s experience in all formats across Asia and ability against spin would have made him a genuine contender. He scored a century against India in Ranchi in 2017, while he averaged 37 across four Tests in Asia in 2017. For context, only Steve Smith (56.18) averaged more during Australia’s 2017 tours of India and Bangladesh.
Australia has only returned to Asia to play Test cricket once since; in a two-Test series against Pakistan in the UAE in October 2018. Glenn Maxwell toured but didn’t feature in either match — and has been kept away from the Australian Test team since.