Glenn Maxwell trolls Virender Sehwag in post-match interview
Glenn Maxwell scored a match-winning knock of 96 off just 83 balls to lead Australia to third consecutive victory over India in the third ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Maxwell and James Faulkner carried the home side to a comprehensive victory over the visitors, who continued to disappoint in the bowling and fielding departments.
At 215/6, it looked the Indian bowlers had got themselves back into the game. However an 87-run partnership between Maxwell and Faulkner crushed all Indian hopes as they cantered along to win the match by three wickets.
The poor quality of death bowling of the Indian bowlers clearly showed as the lower-order Austalian batting duo did not feel any sort of pressure to chase down the total of 295. Maxwell missed out on his century by four runs as he attempted to play a big shot when Australia needed just one off nine balls.
The 27-year-old Maxwell has been likened to players like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. Sehwag himself has termed the dashing Australian batsman as ‘positive and humble’.
Both the players have similar styles of batting – a carefree sort of attitude, thus attempting to score off every ball. While this is entertaining for the fans, it can be frustrating for the team as both players possess supreme cricketing talent.
Maxwell currently has the highest strike rate in ODI cricket of 125.22 in 58 matches. Sehwag had a strike rate of 104.33 after playing 251 ODI matches. Both of the players’ batting averages are also similar – Maxwell with 36.15 and Sehwag with 35.05.
After guiding his team to a series-winning victory, Maxwell was asked by the media if he was a distant cousin of Sehwag. The 27-year-old responded to the question in jest and commented on his former IPL teammate's hair.
“I have more hair than Sehwag,” Maxwell stated.
When asked about missing out on his century, Maxwell did not state any disappointment at not getting the milestone as he tried to clear the infield.
“Didn't care where the ball went, just wanted to hit it over the infield, whether it went for one, two or four.”
Maxwell also hoped that he could continue to play the same way and come up with bigger scores so that people can stop calling him nicknames like ‘The Big Show’.
“I'm hoping for some more innings like that. People might start to forget about the nicknames and that sort of thing,” the Australian all-rounder said.
In the second ODI too, Maxwell played a very responsible innings, avoiding extravagant shots, as he stuck around with George Bailey to give Australia a seven-wicket victory.