Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell could return to professional cricket as early as next week, with the white-ball powerhouse gearing up for March’s ODI tour of India.
The Victorian suffered a freak leg injury, which saw him fracture his left fibula, during a friend’s birthday party in November, ruling him out of the Big Bash League and keeping him on the sidelines for nearly three months.
He was eyeing a potential Test recall for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the injury setback ruined any chance of a coveted call-up.
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Maxwell, who played the most recent of his seven Tests in 2017, featured in Australia’s squad for last year’s Warne-Muralitharan Trophy in Sri Lanka, but couldn’t break into the starting XI.
Australia’s next subcontinent tour is slated for early 2025, meaning Maxwell may never get another opportunity to don the baggy green.
“Probably will nag at me for the rest of my life,” he told Fox Cricket this week.
“It’s nice getting the opportunity to watch your teammates play, especially over there. I think they’ve got the squad that’s probably as good as I’ve seen go over to India since I’ve been watching Tests over there, anyway.
“With the way Cameron Green showed his wares in Sri Lanka last year, they were some brilliant signs of guys adapting their gameplan to the conditions, and being able to implement it straight away.”
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According to The Age, Maxwell is a chance of playing Victoria’s next Sheffield Shield fixture against Queensland, which gets underway at the MCG on Thursday, February 9.
The 34-year-old has not played first-class cricket since October 2019, with international commitments and the sport’s crammed schedule repeatedly preventing the right-hander from plying his trade in the Sheffield Shield.
Maxwell is expected to make his international return during Australia’s upcoming ODI series against India, which gets underway on March 17. The three-match series will be crucial preparation for Australia ahead of this year’s World Cup in India.
