Glenn Maxwell opens up about IPL journey, clash with Sehwag
Dynamic Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has opened up about his roller-coaster IPL career in his book The Showman. He particularly mentions a bitter relationship with former teammate and mentor Virender Sehwag. Maxwell's IPL career started on a high in 2014 when he joined Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), taking them to the top of the table and the final.
Maxwell's stellar performance in 2014 IPL season
In his debut season with Kings XI Punjab, Maxwell was phenomenal, scoring 552 runs and hitting the most sixes. Despite their brilliant run, the team lost to Kolkata Knight Riders in the final. Recalling this near-perfect season, Maxwell said, "We went down in the final over. As close to the perfect season as you get in the IPL, but no trophy."
Struggles and self-doubt: Maxwell's IPL journey
After his successful debut, Maxwell was promised the team would be built around him. However, inconsistency soon set in and Punjab's performance dropped drastically in the next two seasons. During this time, Maxwell struggled with criticism due to his own inconsistent performance. He confessed, "As a younger player, this was more difficult. I doubted myself, felt the negativity, saw the social media posts."
Tensions rise between Maxwell and Sehwag in 2017
In 2017, Maxwell rejoined Kings XI with Sehwag now a mentor and decision-maker for the team. This resulted in confusion among players and coaches with unclear selection processes. The tension between Maxwell and Sehwag reached a boiling point when Sehwag publicly slammed him as a "big disappointment." Recalling the incident, Maxwell said, "It was unpleasant, especially when I thought we had parted on good terms."
Maxwell's IPL career takes a new turn with RCB
Maxwell's IPL career saw a positive turn in 2021 when Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bought him in the auction as the Aussie joined forces with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. He had said he was excited about the opportunity, "The chance to bat with the equivalent of Sachin and Ricky Ponting in my own generation was irresistible." This was a new phase in his IPL journey where he could grow with cricketing giants like Kohli and de Villiers.
