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If Maxwell wants to wear the baggy green again, he must ditch the IPL

Glenn Maxwell has a different path to the Test side than Matt Hayden ever did. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Expert
21st June, 2016
35

Glenn Maxwell and Adil Rashid both were born in 1988. Yet there is a gigantic gulf in the first-class experience of these two spinning all-rounders.

Maxwell has played a paltry 42 matches compared to Rashid’s tally of 148 fixtures.

The Victorian so rarely plays red-ball cricket that it hurt his chances of becoming a mainstay of the Test team.

Maxwell has stated time and again that his dream is to become a quality Test player. But the reality is, if he really wants to make this happen, he likely needs to cut down on his limited-overs commitments.

Maxwell’s fine first-class record – a batting average of 42 and bowling average of 39 – is better than many other Australian players who have been given decent cracks at Test cricket in recent years.

He has also has the advantage of being under the nose of the selectors due to his pivotal roles in Australia’s T20 and ODI teams.

Yet still he has played only three Tests, the last of which was 18 months ago. A major reason seems to be the fact that he simply does not play enough red-ball cricket to push his claims.

Consider the current situation. Australia’s Test No.6 Mitchell Marsh has averaged a woeful 15 with the bat across his past 12 matches, stretching back to December 2014. Yet Maxwell has not been able to put Marsh under any real pressure.

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In fact, Maxwell’s red-ball stocks have fallen so far that he couldn’t even make Australia’s Test squad for next month’s tour of Sri Lanka, despite widespread expectations that he would be picked given the dry, turning pitches.

His infrequent appearances in first-class cricket are hurting him. Since debuting five-and-a-half years ago, Maxwell has played just seven first-class matches per year on average. In the past 12 months he has played only six red-ball fixtures.

Those matches came in the last Shield season, during which he made 392 runs at 56. Maxwell had built some momentum in the longest format.

What if he had foregone the 2016 Indian Premier League season, and instead headed to England in April to train for and then take part in a lengthy stint in the county competition?

Following his quality summer in the Shield, a prolific patch in England would surely have caught the eye of the Test selectors more than another stint in the IPL.

As it was, Maxwell had a shocking IPL season and has since also lost his spot in Australia’s starting ODI XI.

Admittedly, it is a big ask for Maxwell to overlook the million-plus dollars he can earn in a single season in India. But plenty of other cricketers around the world, including several Australian Test players, have done just that to better prepare for red-ball cricket.

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The symbolism of this sacrifice, alone, would impress the Test selectors. The fact that Maxwell has been unable to crack the Test XI, despite Marsh’s calamitous batting returns, should sound an alarm for the Victorian.

If he can’t unseat a drastically underperforming rival, what happens when Marsh or someone else starts flourishing in the Test all-rounder role?

Something has to give. If Maxwell wants to offer himself the best possible chance of donning the baggy green, he must make a significant sacrifice.

A T20 player of his calibre and popularity should be able to continue playing in the IPL and other rich competitions into his late 30s. The window of opportunity for a meaningful Test career is much smaller.

Soon to turn 28 years old, Maxwell is in his prime. If you really want to tame the Test game Glenn, it’s time to make your move.

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