‘Big Show’ retires from international cricket with just one regret
Glenn Maxwell’s international career is over after the gun all-rounder revealed behind-the-scenes conversations with Australia’s management team.
The 38-year-old was not included in Australia’s T20 squad to play England on Monday, and he then offered the background to the decision on The Final Word podcast.
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell during the T20 World Cup. AP
Maxwell had already retired from ODI cricket and had not played a Test match since 2017.
He was a member of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad in February.
“We probably had numerous discussions before and after the T20 World Cup,” Maxwell said.
“And it was pretty open-ended. There wasn’t any pressure from that side (Australia management), and we decided to sort of leave the door open.
“There was a couple of series that were coming up; they were going to look to the future, and we saw that in Bangladesh (in June) with guys getting their opportunity and performing really well.”
Maxwell did, however, express one regret.
“I suppose, a small hope or discussion that I might have been able to potentially get a send-off game at the MCG. But I can completely understand the direction they’re going with this squad,” he said.
“There’s going to be a lot of change, I suppose, over the next 12-24 months with the Olympics coming up (in 2028), and they’ve got to make sure that they get their eyeballs on a few young guys coming through and making sure that they’re getting exposed to international pressure that you probably can’t always get from a BBL fixture.”
One of the world’s most explosive batters and brilliant fielders, who was dubbed the ‘Big Show,’ Maxwell will continue to play in the Big Bash for the Melbourne Stars.
Maxwell played 149 ODIs, 130 T20s and seven Tests for Australia.
England’s tour of Australia starts with an ODI on Friday.
Australia T20 squad
Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Owen, Lachlan Shaw, Adam Zampa
England T20 squad
Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, James Coles, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Aneurin Donald, Eddie Jack, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Thomas Rew, Phil Salt, Luke Wood
