Former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith said that current England Test coach Brendon McCullum would have added Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to the Test squad. Maxwell has scored one of the best ODI knocks ever with his 201* off 128 deliveries to lead Australia to a stunning three-wicket victory against Afghanistan. It was the first-ever double century in an ODI run chase as Maxwell single-handedly took the team home from 91/7 to successfully chase down 292.
On SEN’s Sportsday, Smith said, “Baz would have picked him, I know that. I know Brendon McCullum, I haven’t heard anything come from him but I’m sure he’ll have a quote or two about that innings because he would have sat there bewildered.”
When he was asked about Glenn Maxwell’s limited Test opportunities, Ian Smith shared Australia’s incredible depth, especially in the lower middle-order as well. He also added that the destructive batter would have played several matches for a nation like New Zealand.
“I think there’s a couple of things to consider here,” Smith stated. “One is that Australia have got the depth in Test cricket that most countries are very envious of. Glenn Maxwell would have played a lot of Tests for New Zealand, Glenn Maxwell would have played a lot of Tests for a lot of other countries. In the area he bats in red-ball cricket, that middle order spot, Australia have been traditionally very, very strong and they have got great depth in that area.”
“I’d love to see that kind of Glenn Maxwell play some Test innings like that every now and then. But it’s just not a done thing, is it? Maybe in 10 years’ time, Test cricket will evolve into that (suiting that style of player). Glenn Maxwell will sadly be probably not around to be playing it,” he further added.
Despite his white-ball shows, Glenn Maxwell has played only seven Tests for Australia, smashing 339 runs which came at an average of 26.07 and a century. He also claimed eight wickets at a 42.62 average with one four-wicket haul as well.
“Why hasn’t he made it? I can say that with a lot of players. I throw Martin Guptill into that conversation. He scored a magnificent 237 not out in a World Cup game. He faced the first ball and the last ball of the innings and never looked like getting out. It was an unbelievably good innings. But the guy can’t buy a run in Test matches,” Ian Smith again shared.
