Australian swashbuckling batter, Glenn Maxwell, renowned for his aggressive batting and versatility, played for Kings XI Punjab now Punjab Kings from 2014 to 2017. Maxwell had an excellent 2014 but was in a really tough year in 2017 as the internal team politics complicated his position.
2014 Success And 2017 Struggles
But what Maxwell accomplished was phenomenal in his 2014 season; he could score 552 runs and played at a strike rate of more than 187. But by 2017, Maxwell witnessed a decline in his form, and he explains in the book how the power equations inside the team changed with him struggling through.
The Strained Relationship With Sehwag
Maxwell also comments on the Indian cricket legend who came in to mentor the Punjab franchise in 2017, namely the great Virender Sehwag. Although named captain, Sehwag’s presence caused tension. Maxwell said Sehwag made selection decisions while not formally in control.
“I thought it would make sense to keep the coaches in a WhatsApp group for selections, Maxwell writes. “Everyone agreed except Sehwag. Eventually, he would explicitly say he wanted to decide the opening XI, and we would end up losing on the field and off the field as well,” Maxwell writes about his impression while suggesting his first verdict, during the transition into the fifteenth season, as public criticism started spilling over into the locker room too.
Sehwag had publicly demanded Maxwell’s head, calling him a “big disappointment” for not taking responsibility even after Punjab was bowled out for just 73 in a disastrous last-group game against Pune. Maxwell was shocked and hurt by this public dressing down.
“I texted him expressing how much his comments affected me. Sehwag replied, ‘Don’t need a fan like you.’ We never spoke again,” Maxwell remembered.
Fallout And Leaving Punjab Kings
Maxwell’s time with Punjab Kings effectively ended after this fallout, wherein he told the owners of the franchise that if Sehwag stayed, he wouldn’t continue either. After one more season had passed, he left the team.
Maxwell went back to Punjab Kings in 2020, two years following Sehwag’s resignation, but the reunion did not happen as expected. He has represented Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2021 and continues his journey in the IPL.
