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Glenn James Maxwell might be relatively new to the ODI side with just 32 games under his belt, and his modest average of 32.80 might not be too intimidating at first sight.
But we are all aware of his ability to strike the ball, which he has shown time and again in both limited overs international cricket and domestic T20 tournaments like the IPL and BBL.
He has the record of scoring the join-fastest Twenty20 and ODI 50s for Australia. He also holds the record of scoring the fastest 50 in Australian domestic cricket. His career strike rate of 121.16 in ODIs and 165.8 in T20s suggests he can turn around matches on his own.
It was for a reason that first the Mumbai Indians and later Kings XI Punjab paid big bucks to secure his services for their respective franchises in the IPL.
But batting is not the only aspect of his game that Australia would be hoping to bank on. His recent last-over heroics against Pakistan suggests he is more than just a part-time off spinner. The Australian pitches might not be too conducive to spin, but his benign-looking off spin is more than capable of providing useful breakthroughs in the middle overs.
His acrobatic fielding is well known too. He and Steven Smith are probably among the top five fielders in world cricket today. Backward point is one of the most crucial fielding positions in cricket, and I won’t be surprised if Maxwell pulls off a couple of stunners during the course of the World Cup.
When asked who would win the world event next year, former Australia captain Steve Waugh emphatically answered, “Australia”.
“They will beat South Africa in the final. Maxwell will turn out to be a major player,” he continued.
Indeed, Maxwell could well turn out to be the one to play a fearless innings in a big match to take the game away from the opposition, just like Ricky Ponting did in the 2003 World Cup final.
Captain Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson might have a big role to play in Australia’s pursuit to bring back the World Cup after bowing out in the quarter-finals in 2011, but for me, Glenn Maxwell could just turn out to be the game-changer they need.
Note: Stats updated as of Oct 20, 2014
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