‘Desperate’ Glenn Maxwell addresses Aussie Test snub after latest BBL epic

Glenn Maxwell admits he would have made the same call as the Australian selectors as he reflected on their decision that’s likely ended his Test career.

Maxwell and Mitch Marsh were among the high-profile absentees from the 16-player squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, with uncapped 21-year-old Cooper Connolly picked ahead of the senior allrounders.

Maxwell, who last played first-class cricket 18 months ago, had been eager to add to his seven Test appearances.

But the 36-year-old holds no grudges over selectors looking to the future, with Australia’s spot in the World Test Championship final already secure.

“It’s just selection,” Maxwell said.

“There’s always going to be people wanting to be there and I made no secret that I desperately wanted to be on that tour, but I can completely understand their reasoning.

“The fact that they’re already in the World Test Championship final, they’ve got a couple of Tests in Sri Lanka and there’s going to be some sub-continent tours over the next few years, so they get to look a few new guys in those conditions.

“What an experience for those guys to go over there — Cooper Connolly on his first Test tour — I certainly would’ve made the same decision as they have.”

Maxwell has not played Test cricket since 2017 and appears unlikely to regain his spot in the national side in the longest form of the game.

All of his Test appearances have come in Asia, with selectors previously valuing his spin bowling and ability to bat against the turning ball.

Maxwell would have almost certainly gone to India for the Border-Gavaskar trophy series in 2023, but broke his leg at a friend’s backyard party only months before.

But he was in no mood to make a big call on his Test future after blasting 90 from 52 balls in the Melbourne Stars’ BBL derby win over the Renegades.

The result kept the Stars’ finals hopes alive with one regular-season match left to play, against the Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday.

“I’m not making any future plans right now,” Maxwell said.

“I’m looking forward to a week off and Sunday.”

Maxwell protected the tail superbly throughout his innings but felt it was far from a perfect performance with the bat.

“I was probably hitting every second or third ball, and with the way the wicket was playing I was just trying to put them under enough pressure where I was getting an over-pitched delivery or one a little bit wider where I could sort of throw my hands or get some sort of leverage on,” Maxwell said.

“It still felt like I played and missed a little bit and missed the middle of the bat, and had a few mistimed shanks into the leg side.

“But knowing how simple my game plan was — to stay on strike for as long as I could — I could just wait for one that I could actually hit in the middle and hopefully connect.

“It forced my hand a bit when we were seven down and I didn’t want to expose the tail.”