Australia’s swashbuckling all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has made it clear that his desire to play Test cricket is still alive and hopes his vast experience in Asian conditions will help him force his way back into the national Test squad for their upcoming scheduled tours of Asia next year.
The all-rounder has been regular in Australia’s limited-overs squad but has not played a Test match since 2017 against Bangladesh. He played only 7 Tests – all in Asia for Australia.
Australia is scheduled to play away Tests in 2022 against India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, plus the possibility of their postponed two-Test campaign in Bangladesh can be re-added to the schedule.
Hence Maxwell hopes his experience in the sub-continent conditions across the formats – both at the international stage and domestic cricket will help him to get back his baggy green next year.
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The 32-year-old, who is regarded as one of Australia's better players of spin, has insisted that he is still very much in the prime of his career and fit enough to push his case for Test selection as there is still hunger to play Test cricket for Australia.
Maxwell was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au: “I'm certainly keen to still play red-ball cricket and push my case forward to still play Test cricket. I'm still very much in the prime of my career. I'm only 32 and there's still a fair bit in me. I'm not done and dusted there. There are quite a few subcontinent tours (coming up) and I feel like I could certainly add something to that Test squad if I was selected.”
The all-rounder further added, “I'll be certainly doing everything in my power to try and get on those tours. If I can somehow get some red-ball cricket at some stage, or some time in Asia to work on my game over there, hopefully, that can be enough to get back in the Baggy Green.”
The right-hander believes that playing cricket in spinning conditions could hand him Test recall, saying: “Even watching this current Test (in Chennai), you're not facing these conditions in Australia so you're not really learning a whole lot off Sheffield Shield cricket in Australia.”
Maxwell continued, “You're not really getting the gauge of what guys are going to be like under that sort of pressure with the ball spinning square and keeping low and bouncing over your head. It's just a different beast completely. To be able to pick a Test side (for a series in Asia) based on Sheffield Shield cricket is a little bit more difficult. I think you'd have to go with a lot more specialists who can adapt to spinning conditions and find a way to score in those spinning conditions as well.”
He signed off by saying, “I'm hoping that'd put me in good stead, even if I don't have the time on the field with the Sheffield Shield, that I can still find a way to play a few more series in the subcontinent this year or however long and put my name forward, put up some good numbers and show that I'm still a good player of spin.”
(cricket.com.au inputs)
