I haven’t given up on Tests, says Maxwell

Maxwell has been in the form of his life, scoring a double century against Afghanistan in the World Cup and recently smashed a T20I hundred against India in their ongoing bilateral series

Melbourne: Australia star allrounder Glenn Maxwell has said he has not yet ‘given up’ on his hopes for Test cricket following his spectacular performance in their ODI World Cup triumph.

Maxwell has been in the form of his life, scoring a double century against Afghanistan in the World Cup and recently smashed a T20I hundred against India in their ongoing bilateral series.

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“I haven’t given up on Tests,” Maxwell was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald upon his arrival here after being released from the T20I squad.

“I think I’ve just got to be realistic about the timings of the way I’ve been playing my white-ball cricket.” Having made his Test debut against India in Hyderabad in 2013, the white-ball specialist has only played seven matches in his career and his last appearance was in 2017.

He has a batting average of 26.07 and has taken eight wickets at 42.62.

It remains to be seen if Maxwell is named in their Test squad for the three-match home series against Pakistan beginning at Perth on December 14.

“You play a World Cup and then you don’t play any Shield cricket, you play at the back end of summer in white ball and don’t play any Shield cricket, so it’s just the way it’s gone over the last 10 years of my career really.

“The two runs in the final were pretty cool. I don’t think anything’s going to top that. Even though there were moments during the tournament individually, I think that final… Nothing’s going to top that,” he added.

Matthew Wade, who is leading Australia in the ongoing T20 series against India, backed Maxwell to shine in the longest format of the game.

“I think it is just mentally and a little bit physically, he’s come back from quite a bad injury and 50-over cricket tends to take it out of you,” Wade said of Maxwell’s state of exhaustion after his century in Guwahati.

“He’s ready to go home, and a performance like that maybe didn’t happen if he didn’t know he was getting the opportunity to go home and rest. I’m really happy for him, his hundredth game. He found a way to bring his best and we’re happy he can go home and be with his family.”