After guiding Australia to their first ever T20I series victory against Men-in-Blue in just concluded two-match T20I series, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell revealed his ideal batting position in the team’s ODI squad.
Currently, Maxwell bats at number seven in Australia’s limited overs squad and the 30-year-old said he would happily take a promotion in the five-match ODI series against India starting in Hyderabad on March 2.
“In my case tonight, when I came out, it was 15 overs to go I think. And as long as I get a 80 or a 100 out of that even, if I am doing that at a No 6 or a 7, it doesn’t really matter. It’s just me making the most of the opportunities when I get them,” Maxwell said, before adding, “It’s not easy to just come here and go like that because the ball is a lot older, the wicket’s gone a lot quicker here. Even tonight at the end of the game, the wicket’s sort of drying out and there was scuffs all over it.”
Talking about his batting position in the ODIs, Maxwell said he would find it difficult to make a difference at No 7 in most occasions. “In one day cricket, it’s not as easy to go at the end. So it would be nice to bat higher up but it depends on what happens in the top four or top five. If the opportunity does come up, I’d like to take.”
On Wednesday, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Maxwell was on a rampage as he smashed bowlers to all corners of the park. During his unbeaten 113 runs knock, the Australian hit nine sixes and seven fours.
“I think it’s just got to be about picking your moments. I think a little bit of it is that I have to go hard but I think I had been just picking off balls I can hit the boundaries in,” Maxwell said.
“Like today, I don’t think I took too many ridiculous risks and I feel I read the game really well and was able to hit the ball in areas where the fielders weren’t at all. There’s not many times I hit the ball straight over a fielder’s head but just place it in the gap and I feel that’s okay for me,” Maxwell added.
“When I had a successful innings, if I am mistiming and it’s still falling in the gap but I have gotten in control and I really had a good read of the game and I was just one step ahead,” the 30-year-old, who has three century to his name in the shortest format of the game, said.