Glenn Maxwell has retired from One Day International cricket, effective immediately.
The 36-year-old two-time World Cup winner bows out of the format after 3990 runs across 149 matches for Australia, but will continue to be available for T20I selection, and has not called time on his domestic franchise T20 career.
After making his ODI debut on August 25, 2012, in Sharjah, Maxwell went on to have one of the most decorated careers in the history of the format.
The allrounder was a consistent contributor with bat, ball and in the field, where he will be remembered for an endless highlights reel of boundary-line catches and inner-circle run-outs.
But most memorable from his glittering ODI career will without doubt be the blinding double century he scored against Afghanistan in the 2023 World Cup, an innings most have dubbed as the single greatest in the format’s history.
Needing a win to stay alive in the tournament and chasing 292 for victory, Maxwell came to the crease at 4-49 and saw three more wickets fall before the score reached triple figures, before skipper Pat Cummins joined him.
What followed over the next 28.2 overs was some of the most freakishly brilliant hitting the game has ever seen; Maxwell carried Australia to victory with 3.1 overs to spare, and did so with full-body cramps that restricted his footwork at the crease to nothing.
Topping it off as only Maxwell could, he hit a six to win the match and bring up his double century.
Sharing his retirement news on The Final Word podcast with Adam Collins, who was the ghostwriter for his autobiography, Maxwell says it feels “a bit strange” to be now called a former player.
“I think back to right at the start, I was obviously picked, I thought, ahead of my time and out of the blue, getting to play with some guys I used to watch on TV,” he said.
“I was just extremely proud to play a couple of games for Australia, and to be a part of a changeroom that won a series in the UAE against Pakistan, my first series. That was an extremely special moment, and I thought I was just going to have that and go back to domestic cricket and ply away at my trade and play plenty of first-class cricket and see if I could make it.
“But I’ve been able to go through the ups and downs of being dropped and brought back, played in some World Cups, been a part of some great teams.
“It’s still a bit strange hearing that (I’m a former player), but I’m sure it will rest nicely soon.”
Maxwell said the origins of the decision-making process date back to early in this year’s Champions Trophy, where his body started to let him down.
“I felt like I gave myself a really good opportunity to be fit and ready for those games, and the first game in Lahore, we played on a rock-hard outfield, and post that game I was pretty sore,” he explained.
“(Then) we were lucky enough to have a wash-out against South Africa where I had a bit more time to have a bit of rest and get myself ready for the next game.
“The following game against Afghanistan, we fielded for 50 overs on a really, really wet outfield — it was slippery, it was soft, and I just didn’t pull up that well.
“I started to think about, if I don’t have the perfect conditions in 50-over cricket, my body just probably struggles to get through that, and it feels like it’s a tiring affair just to get through on the basics of almost surviving the 50 overs, let alone being at my best throughout that 50 overs, and then going out there and trying to perform with the bat as well.
“I felt like I was sort of letting the team down a little bit with how my body was reacting to the conditions.
“I had a really good chat with George Bailey while we were in the rain delay and I just sort of asked him what his thoughts were going forward.
“We basically talked about the 2027 World Cup. I said to him right then and there, ‘I don’t think I’m going to make that, and I think it’s time to start planning for people in my position to have a crack at it and try and make that spot their own for the 2027 World Cup, and hopefully they get enough of a lead-in where they can have success in that role’.”
The Australian white-ball great said he remained torn over the decision for some time, but knew deep down what the right call was.
“I’ve always said I wasn’t going to hand my position over if I felt like I was still good enough to play,” Maxwell said.
“I think even post that England game (in the Champions Trophy), I spoke to Vini, my wife, and said I feel like I can still play at this level, I still feel like I’ve got a lot to give — and I still truly meant that after that game.
“It was probably only after that Afghanistan game that I realised it was probably a bit far fetched to keep reaching for that next series and keep trying to build up and keep trying to almost hold on — I didn’t want to just hold on for a couple of series and almost play for selfish reasons.
“I don’t think that would help anyone, especially the team, when they’re moving in such a clear direction at the moment. This gives them the best opportunity to have a look at what their best lineup looks like heading into that next World Cup.
“I know how important that planning is heading forward.”
Explaining his intentions to play on in the 20-over format, Maxwell said he still has lots to give.
“The 20 overs is a perfect time where I feel like I’m able to keep my athleticism at a high level and still be able to create plays on the boundary and still help the team out in a way that I know I can,” he said.
“I just felt like in one-day cricket, my worth as a fielder was starting to dwindle in those last couple of overs because I didn’t have the same pace, I didn’t have the same spring, and I’m sure that there are guys that are going to be coming through that are going to be able to give that to the Australian side.”
Maxwell was a key part of Australia’s 2015 and 2023 World Cup victories, and hit the winning runs in the latter.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au