IPL 2021: Clarity of role at RCB helps Glenn Maxwell bring "The Big Show" to the party
Glenn Maxwell brought up his third consecutive half-century for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Sunday to help them seal a spot in the IPL 2021 playoffs, with two matches still to go.
The match against his former franchise Punjab Kings saw him carry on his brilliant form this season. Maxwell's performance in IPL 2021 has put to rest questions about the big price tag that he came with after failing to live up to the billing in the past.
To put things in perspective, Maxwell has scored five half-centuries for RCB in IPL 2021. Coming into the season, he had a total of six half-centuries in eight years.
He came into the season after a dismal outing the previous year, where he scored just 108 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 101.88. His highest score last season was just 32, and he averaged 15.42. Maxwell’s ability to hit massive sixes earned him the nickname “The Big Show”, but he failed to clear the fence even once last season.
In contrast, he has scored 407 runs in 12 matches at an average of 40.70 this season for RCB, striking at 145.35. He is currently the team’s highest scorer. He has found his six-hitting form as well, having hit 19 maximums so far.
Glenn Maxwell and RCB: a match made in heaven?
While Maxwell has finally found his feet in the IPL after several poor seasons, RCB too seem to have found a very solid solution to their middle-order woes.
It’s important to look back at Maxwell’s career in the IPL to understand why the two entities coming together has worked out so well for both of them.
Maxwell made his debut in the IPL in 2012, when he was brought in as a replacement player by Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils). However, he only played two matches that year.
The following season, he was picked up by Mumbai Indians for ₹5.32 crore. However, he only made three appearances even as MI went on to win the first of their five IPL titles.
Next season, Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) picked him up for ₹ 6 crore. Maxwell showed why there was so much hype about him. The 2014 IPL season was a watershed moment for him as he smashed 552 runs at a devastating strike rate of 187.75 in 16 matches. He helped KXIP reach the final, only to lose to Kolkata Knight Riders.
KXIP thought they had their match-winner in Maxwell, but the all-rounder failed to deliver in the next two seasons, scoring 145 and 179 runs respectively. In 2017, he had a better showing, as he scored 310 runs, but could not reach the 50-run mark even once.
In 2018, Delhi Capitals took a punt on him, buying him for ₹9 crore. But the change in teams did not do him much help, as he scored only 169 runs.
He gave the 2019 IPL a skip and returned in the 2020 IPL auction again, with his value rising every year despite unimpressive returns. Punjab Kings then snapped him up once again, this time for ₹10.75 crore.
After a dismal 2020 season, one would be forgiven for thinking that his price would drop in the 2021 IPL auction. However, Maxwell sparked an intense bidding war between RCB and Chennai Super Kings, with the Virat Kohli-led side finally getting their man for ₹14.25 crore.
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In previous years, Maxwell’s price tag meant he was in the limelight, with his team banking on him to be their destroyer-in-chief with the bat more often than not. However, RCB offered him a different role – one more suited to him.
RCB were facing problems of their own, in terms of their once destructive middle order beginning to falter. Both Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers seemed to be waning in their ability to take on spinners, meaning they were going too slow in the middle overs.
To solve this, they moved Kohli up to opening, and gave De Villiers the finisher’s role. It left a gap in the middle and Maxwell slotted right in.
It was a role he was also more familiar with in the national team set-up, where he had destructive openers at the top and good finishers to come in and start going hard at the death.
Maxwell, with his ability to maximize run-scoring in the middle overs thanks to his reverse sweeps and switch hits, felt more at home playing a similar role at RCB as he has done for Australia.
Speaking about having a clear role in the Australia and RCB set-ups, Maxwell said:
“This is something I have had with Australia for a long period of time, this is perhaps why I have had success over there. Coming into RCB, they wanted me to do the exact same type of role.”
His record for Australia speaks for itself. Maxwell has scored 1780 runs in 72 T20Is at a strike rate of 158.92, with three centuries and nine fifties.
The fact that, despite his high price tag, the spotlight at RCB is still on Kohli and de Villiers has also probably helped ease the pressure off him and helped him play with more freedom.
With two more league matches and the playoffs to come, RCB will be hoping that Maxwell – their highest run-scorer so far this season – carries on being “The Big Show”.
RCB v PBKS | MOTM | Glenn Maxwell
For his match winning 5️⃣7️⃣(33) today, @Gmaxi_32 is deservedly adjudged the MOTM against PBKS. 👏🏻👏🏻
#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2021 #RCBvPBKS https://t.co/qQhhL8PSf9