"Have a fair bit to go until I am fully fit for a one-day game" - Glenn Maxwell on his injury
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell admitted that he is not back to full fitness after playing his first Sheffield Shield match in 1,200 days on Monday. The 34-year-old stated that he has done plenty of work behind the scenes on his batting.
The Victorian sustained an injury to his left leg in November, a few days after the T20 World Cup 2022 in home conditions.
The dynamic all-rounder missed the ODI series against England due to injury and the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022.
Maxwell revealed that he is only at 80 percent fitness so far and is working towards getting fully fit for one-day cricket. The veteran conceded that playing Shield cricket is only a minor step in making a comeback.
As quoted by Perth Now, he said:
"I think probably 80 per cent. I have a fair bit to go until I am fully fit for a one-day game, which is what I’m working towards. I won’t bowl, I’m still building up my loads and getting that natural body movement muscle memory going."
Maxwell added:
"As far as the batting and time on feet goes, I have done a lot of work behind the scenes to get myself ready, so it’s a small step in the comeback."
The leg injury also forced him to miss the ongoing Test series in India. In an interview with Fox Cricket last month, the Victorian underlined that not playing the Test series in India will haunt him for the rest of his life.
"It’s been a pretty long journey" - Glenn Maxwell
Maxwell added that the hard yards put in over the last three months have paid off, adding:
"It’s been a pretty long journey over the last 3½ months, so a lot of early morning sessions, gym, rehab, pool sessions, physio. To feel like I am at the back-end of that now and able to play some cricket is something I’m proud of."
The spin-bowling all-rounder is likely to make his international return during the three-match ODI series against India.