The flamboyant Australian all-rounder, Glenn Maxwell has shared opened up on life on the road as a cricketer saying the hectic schedule takes a toll on the mental well being of a Test player. With various T20 leagues cropping up in recent years, the landscape has undergone a sea change with non-stop cricket being played over 365 days of a year. While from outside, a cricketer’s life might seem charming but it’s not pitching the right image, says Maxwell.
As per the reports in The Age, Maxwell said, “I know there have been times when I’ve been struggling and felt like it’s a little bit too much. It does take a toll on you mentally. It’s easy to overlook on the outside because all [the fans and media] see is players going out there and play in front of the big crowds, thinking how good a life they must have.”
More recently, an international Australian cricketer Ashton Agar took the decision of skipping a Sheffield Shield game to ‘freshen up’ after a long year of touring.
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Talking about the same, Maxwell said, “You spend a lot of time in a hotel by yourself, away from your family, it is a tough time. A guy like Ashton Agar’s been on the road for so long, not playing. You’re wondering, ‘am I in form, am I close?’ Am I anywhere near it? It can be tough. I do sympathize with the guys that are going through that, because I know how it feels, especially after the year I’ve had. There’s a lot of travel, a lot of time away from family. As much as people want to see more and more cricket, it does take a toll on players.”
Maxwell also expressed his thoughts on the fact that how brutal the world of social media can be as it gives users easy access to get in touch with the players and teams.
The all-rounder concluded, “In a world with social media, and complete unfiltered access to players, it can be quite daunting, and hard to deal with. I know it’s a player’s choice to be on social media, but sometimes it’s just hard to ignore. I’ve copped my fair share of bakes, I’m pretty used to it. I’m OK. But I worry for the younger players coming in. Social media is a pretty dangerous world. It’s pretty scary how ruthless people can be.”
