The Melbourne Stars is set to take away the leadership duties from the hands of the premier and veteran all-rounder of Australia, Glenn Maxwell, for the upcoming 2024-25 season of the Big Bash League (BBL). The veteran has led the franchise since the 2018 edition of the event.
However, the reports have claimed that the former Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter had already informed his teammates in January this year that he wished to continue playing without carrying the extra burden of the Melbourne Stars. The team didn’t have a great time either in the previous season when they finished in the sixth position among eight teams with four victories in ten encounters at a net run rate of -1.051.
As a right-handed batter, Maxwell collected 243 runs in nine innings at an average of 34.71 and a strike rate of more than 170. The decision of the Victorian has come on the back of the club’s failure to reach the finals for the fourth consecutive year, making them one of the two sides of the league to have not won the tournament.
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Melbourne Stars have handed the captaincy to the other pace-bowling all-rounder of the side, Marcus Stoinis, who emerged to take over the job at the end of the last season in 2023/24. When Maxwell was sidelined with injury, had stepped into the role.
Melbourne Stars hands over the leadership to Marcus Stoinis
During the super-eight clash of the last T20 World Cup 2024 in the Caribbean against Bangladesh, the Australian all-rounder informed his interest in the position in June.
“I would love to do it; I love the Stars. I’ve been there for what feels like forever and I’ve got no plans of going anywhere, that’s a team I want to create some success with.” Stoinis expressed in the presser.
“It would create another fun, interesting challenge to add to the Big Bash. I’m just also glad that I’ve committed for the next three years, and I can start planning to be around Melbourne during the Christmas and New Year’s period.” The potential leader for the Melbourne Stars said in the same discussion.
If appointed, then he will have a chance to work with their new head coach, Peter Moors, who is entering his second season in charge. The 35-year-old Perth-born Stoinis has smashed 2666 runs in the 101 innings of the BBL at an average of 33.72 and a strike rate of over 130. In the last season, he managed 169 runs in nine innings at an average of 24.14 and a strike rate of 135.20.
Melbourne Stars has also signed the New Zealand pacer Adam Milne for the pre-Christmas stint in the BBL as the replacement for the Pakistan leg spinner Usama Mir, who will miss the first three games of the season. Mir is absent for the first three encounters against the Perth Scorchers, Brisbane Heat, and Adelaide Strikers, which will be played in three cities, in a space of just five days.
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“To be able to secure someone of Adam’s talent and experience is a huge boost for the squad for the first three games. Adam knows Australian conditions well; we value what he will add to the squad, and we look forward to seeing what he can produce.” ML General Manager Blair Crouch expressed.
Melbourne Stars could also miss both Scott Boland and Beau Webster, both of whom will be with the Test squad for the Brisbane Test that starts on December 14. The first game for them in the season is on the opening day, December 15, at the Optus Stadium.