"Felt it was probably time we tried someone else" - Glenn Maxwell admits requesting Faf du Plessis and RCB management for break from IPL 2024
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Glenn Maxwell admitted requesting captain Faf du Plessis and the team management for a break to refresh physically and mentally ahead of the game against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday, April 15.
The 35-year-old has been in woeful form in IPL 2024, scoring 32 runs at an average of 5.33 with three ducks in six outings. Maxwell's lack of runs has been surprising, considering his incredible form in white-ball cricket since the last IPL season.
He scored 400 runs for RCB in 2023 at an average of over 33 and a strike rate of 183.49 and continued that form into the ODI World Cup later in the year to help Australia win their sixth title.
Talking after the RCB-SRH clash as quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Maxwell said:
"For me, personally, it was a pretty easy decision. I went to Faf [du Plessis] and the coaches after the last game and said I felt it was probably time we tried someone else. I have been in this situation in the past where you can keep playing and get yourself deeper into a hole. I think now is actually a good time for me to give myself a bit of a mental and physical break, get my body right. If I'm required to get in during the tournament, I can hopefully get back into a really solid mental and physical space where I can still have an impact."
"We have had a pretty big deficiency straight after the powerplay, which has been my area of strength over the last couple of seasons. I felt like I wasn't contributing in a positive way with the bat, and with the results and the position we find ourselves on the table, I think it's a good time to give someone else an opportunity to show their wares, and hopefully, someone can make that spot their own," he added.
Unfortunately for RCB, the move to rest Maxwell made no difference, as they suffered a fifth straight defeat to remain at the bottom of the points table.
The RCB bowling also suffered the humiliation of conceding the highest-ever IPL total as SRH pummeled their way to 287/3 in 20 overs in their 25-run win.
"The management here has been outstanding" - Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell heaped praise on the RCB management and hoped to finish the tournament well if and when he returns to the side at a later stage.
The Aussie star has been with RCB since the 2021 IPL season and has played 48 games for the franchise.
"The management here has been outstanding. We've been working together on taking a fair bit of ownership and the off-field leadership staff is trying to help out as much as they can. Unfortunately, runs just haven't come the way they should have when you are in really good form. I don't think I've had a better six months in cricket leading into this tournament. So it's frustrating when it ends up like this. But if I can get my body and my mind right, there's no reason I can't finish the tournament well if I do get another opportunity," said Maxwell.
With six losses in seven outings, RCB's playoff hopes hang by a thread and the side will likely have to win all seven of their remaining games.
They will take on KKR in their next encounter at Eden Gardens on Sunday, April 21.