"Will nag at me for the rest of my life" - Glenn Maxwell laments missing Australia's Test tour of India
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell conceded that missing the tour of India will pinch him for the rest of his life. However, the 34-year-old remains optimistic about Australia's chances in the Test series.
Maxwell was on the radar for the four-Test series in India, with the Victorian remaining in line to play as a spin-bowling all-rounder. However, he sustained a severe leg injury immediately after the T20 World Cup. This forced him to miss the ODI series against England and the Big Bash League (BBL).
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Speaking to Fox Cricket during the BBL fixture between the Melbourne Renegades and Adelaide Strikers, Maxwell said that he will regret missing the Tests in India for the remainder of his life. Reflecting on the 18-man Australian squad, he stated they have a good chance of winning the series and said:
"Probably will nag at me for the rest of my life. It’s nice getting the opportunity to watch your teammates play, especially over there. I think they’ve got the squad that’s probably as good as I’ve seen go over to India since I’ve been watching Tests over there, anyway."
The veteran cricketer heaped praise on Cameron Green, who he thinks adapted exceptionally well to some tough conditions in Sri Lanka in July. He continued:
"With the way Cameron Green showed his wares in Sri Lanka last year, they were some brilliant signs of guys adapting their gameplan to the conditions, and being able to implement it straight away.”
Maxwell made his Test debut on the India tour of 2017 and scored a hundred in the third match of that series in Ranchi. However, he hasn't played red-ball cricket for Australia since the tour of Bangladesh that year and last played a first-class fixture in October 2019.
Glenn Maxwell likely to return for the ODI series against India
The 34-year-old is likely to mark his return following the BBL. Nevertheless, his international comeback could be in the three-game ODI series in India in March.
Earlier this month, Melbourne Stars coach David Hussey told SEN:
"He’s not going to make it by the end of the BBL, unfortunately. But he’s very diligent in his return to play with his rehab. He’s been down to the St Kilda Football Club a bit and has been at the Junction Oval with Cricket Victoria.
"I dare say towards the end of January, he may be available or hitting some cricket balls to try and get back to play some state cricket and Shield cricket to hopefully get on that plane for the One-Day tour of India for Australia."
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The Aussie is expected to be entirely fit for the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the first week of April.