IPL 2021: "Glenn Maxwell knew Virat Kohli and RCB won't be lenient like other franchises" - Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal believes it was Virat Kohli who led Glenn Maxwell back to his match-winning ways in the IPL during the 2021 season.
In a conversation with Aakash Chopra on the latter's YouTube channel, Yuzvendra Chahal said Maxwell always knew that Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and its skipper wouldn't be as 'lenient' as other franchises in demanding his best efforts on the field.
"I think the captain makes the difference. He knows our captain is the captain of the Indian team as well, who doesn't like [leniency]. He likes it when you give your 100% on the field irrespective of what you do off it. Maxwell knew that and that slight leniency that was in other IPL franchises he wouldn't find here. "
As a result of this fillip, Glenn Maxwell, who averaged only around 15 in the last two IPL seasons, scored 223 runs in the first half of IPL 2021 at an average of 37.17.
In another well-publicised stat, the Australian all-rounder didn't hit a single six for the entire 2020 season but plundered as many as 10 from just seven games in 2021.
Glenn Maxwell recently joined RCB in the UAE
Glenn Maxwell is currently undergoing a mandatory six-day quarantine in the UAE, having joined the team on Thursday. In the first half of IPL 2021, he was also the team's highest-scorer and will look to continue the form in the UAE as well.
However, it will be interesting to see how he shapes up in the first few games, considering he hasn't played any competitive cricket in months.
RCB will play their first match against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders on September 20 followed by the South Indian derby against Chennai Super Kings on September 24.
They are currently placed third in the points table and need at least three wins to comfortably qualify in the top four.