Fresh from posting a match-winning century in Australia’s T20 side, Glenn Maxwell says he’d love an opportunity up the order in the country’s 50-over team as the World Cup nears.
Maxwell carved an unbeaten 113 not out batting at No.4 in the series-sealing seven-wicket T20I win in Bengaluru.
But in the 50-over format, Maxwell has occupied the No.7 position in his past four innings in national colours where he’s tasked with going hard from ball one with few overs remaining.
His overnight performance has him confident he could shuffle back up the order in the ODI side, but says he’s “unfazed” should he stay at No.7.
“It’d be nice to bat higher, but there’s obviously a lot of well-credentialed players in our top four and top five that thoroughly deserve their spot,” Maxwell said as Australia and India now prepare to face off in five one-day internationals starting on Saturday in Hyderabad.
“So if an opportunity does come up, I’d love to take it.
“Even when I came in tonight, there were 15 overs to go, I think.
“That’s still 15 overs to bat and I was able to get 100, so even if I’m doing that at No.7 or No.6 it doesn’t really matter.
“I suppose it’s just about me making the most of opportunities when I do get them.”
One-day skipper Aaron Finch explained Maxwell’s demotion down the order in November when he first moved to No.7.
“‘Maxi’ would have liked some more runs, and obviously wants to bat higher,” said Finch.
“But the reality is he’s in the side as a bit of an allrounder but he hasn’t scored as many runs that he needed to over the last little while in one-day cricket to probably justify taking up a top-four spot.
“That’s just reality at the end of the day.”
While Maxwell’s form is red-hot, he might have to wait for his promotion after Australia’s middle order clicked during the Gillette ODI Series against India last month.
Australia got runs out of Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb in that series, while Stars teammate Marcus Stoinis is the reigning ODI player of the year at No.6.
Regardless of where Maxwell bats, he says can’t see why his form wouldn’t translate to 50-over cricket and will take a lot of confidence with how he took down an Indian side on home soil on Wednesday night.
“It’s just about picking my moments. I could tame it down a little bit, I don’t have to go as hard,” said Maxwell, who struck seven fours and nine sixes in his 55-ball knock.
