Glenn Maxwell last played a professional match in July this year before he picked up an ankle injury in August. While Australia were always confident of his return to fitness in the World Cup 2023, apprehensions may have been about his capability to hit the straps straightaway.
On Wednesday, during the 3rd ODI against India in Rajkot, Glenn Maxwell proved once again why he’s one of the most valued and best utility players in the world.
Scoring just 5 runs, even as he failed with the bat – he got a searing yorker from Jasprit Bumrah – Maxwell made a significant impact with the ball that put Australia in a winning position in Rajkot.
While defending a big total of 352 runs, in his 10 overs, Maxwell conceded only 40 runs on a good batting pitch and took 4 massive wickets, all but sealing the game for Australia.
After Rohit Sharma and Washington Sundar had gotten India off to a cracking start, with their partnership of 74 (65), Glenn Maxwell dismissed Sundar to give Australia their first breakthrough. He then broke the dangerous stand between Rohit and Virat Kohli, the duo adding 70 runs in 61 balls, and seemed to be running away with the chase.
Maxwell showed brilliant athleticism to take a stunning one-handed return catch of Rohit, who had muscled the ball powerfully back toward the bowled. He then got the big fish, Kohli, top-edging a pull shot to Smith at mid-on. The off-spinner then bowled Shreyas Iyer, who is generally considered an excellent player of spin bowling.
This incident of the Indian batters getting out to Maxwell, after playing superbly against the trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood led to a spate of memes on Twitter, trolling the Indian batters.
Funny memes on India’s collapse against Glenn Maxwell:
