Dean Jones advises 'repeat offender' Glenn Maxwell to hire a mentor
Former Australian cricketer and popular commentator Dean Jones advised Glenn Maxwell to hire a mentor who can help him iron out his personality which has come under immense scrutiny following the all-rounder’s continuos run-in’s with the Australian cricket hierarchy.
Jones believes that Maxwell is too talented a cricketer to let off-field issues affect his potential as an international cricketer and despite his indifferent form of late, Jones believes that the 28-year-old will have a huge role to play for Australia in the upcoming tour to India, especially considering that he has the upper hand when it comes to a one-on-one battle with India’s trump card, Ravichandran Ashwin.
“He's got enough charisma in the way he plays. At the top of his game, he's in our team, first pick, and I think he's going to India,” Jones said. “He's got a lot to offer. [R] Ashwin hates bowling to him, that's a fact. But he needs to get some runs.”
Jones meanwhile expressed his unhappiness at the Australian team management for overlooking Maxwell for the first 2 ODIs against New Zealand in the ongoing Chappell-Hadlee series and also questioned the thought process behind deploying all-rounder Mitchell Marsh as high as number 5 in the batting order ahead of the likes of someone like Travis Head.
"I would've had him in," he said, referring to Maxwell. "I can't for the life of me work out how Mitchell Marsh is batting at No. 5, are you telling me Travis Head's not as good a batsman as [Marsh]? What Travis Head did was terrific, but he still lacks a bit of polish.”
Maxwell needs a mentor
Jones, who himself was no stranger to controversy during his initial days as a player, felt that it would help Maxwell a great deal if he sought the help of someone like Mike Hussey to talk to.
Maxwell’s recent comments degrading the batting abilities of his Victoria Bushrangers skipper Matthew Wade has come in for scathing criticism from cricketers past and present as well as inviting a hefty sum as fine by the Australian team management with skipper Steven Smith and coach Darren Lehmann publically expressing their displeasure at the way Maxwell is conducting himself off the field.
Taking a cue from his own days as a cricketer, Jones advised Maxwell to seek the help of former Australian greats like Michael Hussey or Mark Taylor to help make himself more presentable in the public sphere, especially with regards to the comments he makes to the media.
"I think he really needs a mentor," Jones said at the MCG. "I don't want my sportsmen to come out of cookie moulds. I want them to have a personality and be able to say what they want, but I don't think that was the right forum for him to do it. I don't think you can be successful in international cricket without having someone you can speak honestly and candidly to. He's a bit of a repeat offender and that's hurting people.”