Glenn Maxwell could soon find himself back in the Australian Test side. With the Aussies’ next Test tour against Pakistan on expected dustbowls in the UAE, the Victorian all-rounder is likely to come into calculations.
The man dubbed the ‘Big Show’ by teammates ranks alongside Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh and Phil Hughes as one of the most-maligned cricketers in the country.
Perceived as pompous and ahead of himself, Maxwell raises the ire of some cricket fans merely by taking the field.
Australia are yet to settle on a suitable sixth batsman to complement Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke and Steve Smith.
Health permitting, Watson is certain to return to the line-up for the third Test against South Africa at Cape Town, displacing either Alex Doolan or Shaun Marsh.
Doolan and Marsh were highly impressive and influential in Australia’s mammoth victory at Centurion before falling flat on their faces at Port Elizabeth.
Whichever player survives the return of Watson would not want to produce a similarly-inept display at Newlands or their position will be vulnerable come the Pakistan tour in October.
This is where Glenn Maxwell comes into the fold.
Australia are highly unlikely to field two specialist spin bowlers in that Test series, despite the typically parched surfaces offered up in the UAE.
Ryan Harris is one probable omission from the side due to his decision to have surgery on his troublesome right knee after the end of the tour of South Africa.
He will reportedly aim to return for next summer’s home Test series against India.
Still, it is hard to imagine either of the best-performed spinners this Shield season, Xavier Doherty or Stephen O’Keefe, getting a gig in the Australian XI against Pakistan.
Doherty is enjoying a fantastic Shield campaign but has been an abject failure when asked to step up to Tests.
O’Keefe, meanwhile, is clearly on the nose with Cricket Australia and cannot seem to shed this long-running hex, regardless of his wicket-taking prowess.
Maxwell’s attacking off spin could seduce the selectors, particularly if Doolan or Marsh flounder at Cape Town.
In such a scenario Watson would be reinstated to first drop, where he enjoyed success during the back-to-back Ashes, with Maxwell at six.
The Australian selectors’ penchant for picking all-rounders in the Test team makes this a very real possibility.
Adding to the chances of this occurring is Maxwell’s apparent blossoming as a first-class batsman this Shield season.
Chastised for being too cavalier with the blade in the longest form of the game, the 25-year-old has now shown he has the capacity to make tough runs.
Maxwell was the only Victorian batsmen to showcase any fight in Victoria’s innings loss to New South Wales at the SCG two weeks ago.
He made 94 and 127 against the Blues, astoundingly accounting for 221 of his side’s 404 runs for the match.
Intent on proving that effort was not an anomaly, he then made 119 in his next Shield innings as Victoria once against laboured, this time against the in-form South Australia.
The reports of those three consecutive innings were glowing.
Maxwell also played a handy role with the ball, snaring 4-92 over those two fixtures.
The prodigiously-gifted youngster has been Victoria’s second-highest Shield run scorer this summer behind Cameron White, with 544 runs at 45.
His career first-class record is better than many people may assume – 1765 runs at 41, with four centuries from 27 matches, to go with 40 wickets at 39.
Granted, Maxell’s batting figures may be inflated slightly by often batting at six or even seven in a typically strong Victorian order.
However, he is a better long-form player than many people give him credit for.
Is he ready for Test cricket? Not from what I’ve seen.
But that doesn’t mean that he can’t mould himself into a player capable of Test success in years to come.
It also doesn’t mean that he won’t be closely considered by the selectors, who clearly rate Maxwell.
Don’t be surprised to see him tour the UAE and perhaps even sneak into the XI against Pakistan.
Bearfax
Guest
While we discuss the merits of Maxwell and whether he is a test player in waiting or not, just a final thought about Phil Hughes. These selectors are doing it again and little wonder the South Australian Shield selectors are ropeable. Hughes should have been the first batsman sent to South Africa outside of the test incumbents but had Doolan and Marsh chosen ahead of him. OK fine let him continue to prove himself at home. But Marsh is injured so they send Hughes. Fine again. Standard practice. Then Watson is injured so what do they do? Instead of using the players they've got, they do the extraordinary and call up Marsh, something unheard of after being knocked back on medical grounds. Then Hughes shows he is the best in form in a trial match, but he is overlooked by Doolan and Marsh. Now if that's what the selectors have decided well and good. Send Hughes back. But they didnt because of the claim they needed a reserve for Watson. Watson has been cleared for the third test several days before the test so they have a reserve batsman in Marsh. But do they send Hughes back to play for his Shield side. No. This is Khawaja all over again and one has to ask if there is an intent in getting certain players off the boil by not playing them in any cricket for months, while pandering to favourites. Khawaja's form noticeably deteriorated during his lengthy period as 12th man or reserve thereby reducing options for test places. The same is happening to Hughes. While certain players have the standard operations broken for them, others are stuffed around with, so their form is lost. We cant be sure whether Hughes would have succeeded in South Africa. His form suggested he would have easily surpassed Marsh's and Doolan's aggregates. He is unquestionably the best batsman after Clarke, Warner, and Smith and probably Rogers equal. Do we want him to become what he seems to be promising or are the selectors just going to use him as a rag doll to throw around at their leisure. If they arent going to use the kid, SEND HIM HOME so he can assist his team and demonstrate his skills for later tests. Or is a certain selector also trying to manipulate the Shield comp by assisting Western Australia's chances (they do now top the comp). Paranoia? Conspiracy theories? If it was just a few issues I would say I'm reading too much into coincidence. But the evidence is mounting up that manipulations are occurring for the benefit of some and the detriment of others. Why are South Australia so publicly angered?
Claude Bottom
Guest
Two words can be used to summarise this ridiculous proposal ... never again.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
If I had to guess now who the selectors will take as the second spinner to the UAE I'd say Doherty.
jammel
Guest
problem is jameswm that two of your top six are kind of selected based on their ability to possibly add something with their bowling - i.e. maxwell and watson. i really only think there's room for one such player in the top six as a maximum - normally Watson. If anyone accepts that Watson should be in the XI, which he probably should be for this series coming up later in this year, then let's just pick the next five best batsmen! And in my opinion there's no room for Maxwell in that mix. I'd prefer Hughes, White, Shaun Marsh, North, Lynn, Cowan, Doolan, Bailey, Voges and many others over Maxwell for any Test series this year (most of these in spinning conditions too). I'd even rather invest in some of the younger batsmen like Maddinson or Silk or others. In Test cricket, you get better results with specialists not people who "can arguably hold his spot as a top 6 bat", etc. To answer your questions: I think Marsh and Doolan are much better batsmen than Maxwell (technically, statistically, by way of temperament, etc.). And as a spinner I think someone like Fawad or even Boyce would definitely do better than Maxwell.
jammel
Guest
Ronan - so if it isn't muirhead/fawad/boyce/o'keefe (for different reasons) then who'd be our second spinner, do you think in very turning circumstances? I.e. noting you'd probably go OKeefe but the selectors won't pick him. The likes of Doherty and Hauritz and Beer and Agar aren't in the picture really. So Lyon and who?
Daniel Hackett
Roar Rookie
Why do we need Maxwell when we've already got Smith and Clarke in the team who are both more than handy spinners? If the selectors are fair dinkum about picking a second specialist spinner and are fair dinkum about rewarding consistent shield form (so they've said) then Stephen O'Keefe is a no brainer. Plus he can bat as well!
nick
Guest
Maxwell is not a test player. He is a selector's pet. I will be so pi**ed off if they pick this full of himself, overrated, no technique, 20:20 slogger for tests.
josh
Roar Rookie
North couldn't score a 100 in Australia either.
Bearfax
Guest
Its a tough one there Nudge and I will concede at least statistically in first class cricket he seems to have the edge, though Smith has played and bowled in a lot more tests that Maxwell which could worsen his FC figures a bit. But in ODIs Smith has a superior average both internationally and domestically. As far as batting at this stage though Smith has a significant edge I guess the bowling comes down to individual perception and therefore I cant argue with your assessment. Personally I think Smith is underutilised as a spin bowler given his ODI form although I think both Smith and Maxwell are a long way behind Lyon or O'Keefe. Both have a tendency to be brutalised by good batsmen, and I dont think Maxwell bowls as tightly as you suggest for full overs. But I think Smith edges out Maxwell quite a bit because of his batting. Both in my mind are fair spinners, great fielders, and potentially test class batsmen. But Smith is on top at this stage of their respective careers
Nudge
Guest
Maxwell is a lot better than Smith as a spinner Bearfax in my eyes. Maxwell can bowl 6 decent balls an over, Smith about 3.
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
Maxwell isn't a good enough batsmen or bowler. Makes Shane Watson look like a brilliant all rounder
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
In a couple of years we may have a bottom four of Faulkner, Pattinson, Starc and Lyon. That would be an amazing tail.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Well on a dustbowl the two specialist spinners would be doing the bulk of the work so the two frontline quicks and Watto wouldn't have a heavy workload.
Bearfax
Guest
North also didnt have back then a Fairy Godfather like Inverarity to get three wishes from.
Bearfax
Guest
Dangerous suggestion that one Ronan. We arent even sure Watson can handle more than 10 overs an innings. Puts a lot of pressure on the other two fast bowlers
jameswm
Guest
I agree. Faulkner at 7 as the 4th seamer and 5th bowler makes our bowling awfully strong. Whilst he and Whiteman (or Carters) at 8 and 7 is not ideal, I think you can get away with it if: (a) they both inmprove their FC averages; and (b) you gave guys like Starc and Pattinson at 8 and 9. Those guys can seriously bat, for bowlers, but they have to be in the top 3 seamers in the country of course.
jamesb
Guest
I suppose when you talk about Maxwell in the team, your talking about alrounders in the team. My dream for this Australian side in the future is for Whiteman to bat at 6, Faulkner at 7. That would be a balanced team. Currently Whiteman averages 38, Faulkner 30. If both can improve their FC averages (Whiteman 42 or 43 and Faulkner 35), then those two players can bring a lot to the Test team. However, first things first, they both need to score their maiden FC century. They are both talented enough to achieve more with the bat.
Simoc
Guest
Maxwell doesn't fit the mould of Roar followers who read like bored grumpy old men who study statistics meticulously and have rarely ventured into the field of live action. He is a fantastic talent and has already earned more money than Roar followers dream about. He is the real deal and of course that doesn't fit into the fold of the Geoff Boycott lovers who frequent these columns. I think at some stage James Faulkner and Glen Maxwell will prove their worth in the test arena. They're already making the big bucks in T20.
jamesb
Guest
1950. We only play India, SA and England.. Or maybe 2010
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Not for four years. We played them in England in 2009 and then Australia that summer (a series which is better forgotten).