Australia allrounder Glenn Maxwell has been named in the Australia ODI and T20I squad for the South Africa tour that begins later this month. At the end of last year, Maxwell had taken an indefinite break from international cricket following mental health difficulties and hasn’t played for Australia ever since.
However, the 31-year-old led Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League and was also named by Cricket Australia as the captain of the team of the tournament. Maxwell had a fantastic tournament with both bat and ball, scoring 389 runs and picking up eight wickets. He has potentially two more matches now to add to that tally.
National Selector Trevor Hohns said that It is fantastic to have Glenn back in both squads given his brilliant form in the middle order for the Stars along with his results with the ball.
He also said that Glenn was one of the first picked in the most recent T20 team at the start of the summer, prior to his break from the game.
While Ashton Turner makes way for Maxwell from the squad toured India recently, the selectors have also included wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade and allrounder Mitchell Marsh in place of Peter Handscomb and D’Arcy Short in the 14-man squad. Mitchell Marsh also reverts to the T20I squad beside all rounder and pacer Richardson.
Marsh finished as Perth Scorchers’ leading run-getter with 382 runs at a strike-rate of 145 whereas Wade managed to impress in white-ball cricket as well, scoring heavily for Hobart Hurricanes while juggling between international duties. Richardson, who hasn’t featured for Australia since the shoulder injury he sustained last year that caused him to miss the World Cup, gets an opportunity in the T20I setup after impressing with the ball for Scorchers.
Hohns explained that Marsh has been in tremendous touch with the bat for the Scorchers since his return from injury and is now back bowling well. His accomplishments assured addition in the field he serves as a sturdy middle-order batsman and handy bowler. Hohns justified that Jhye Richardson also returns to the T20 side from injury with his performances demanding inclusion. He is a terrific young player who has been sensational in all forms of the game and is an extremely strong fieldsman. Matthew Wade is also in red hot form with the bat. He is a very strong fielder, and a great person to have in any team. He can also substitute as a wicketkeeper if required.
Allrounder Stoinis, who was designated the BBL player of the tournament for surpassing the run charts, didn’t receive a spot but will be the standby member for both the teams.
The tour will begin with a T20I on February 21 in Johannesburg followed by two more games in the same format before the three-match ODI series.
ODI squad: A Finch (c), A Agar, A Carey (VC), P Cummins (VC), J Hazlewood, M Labuschagne, M Marsh, G Maxwell, K Richardson, S Smith, M Starc, M Wade, D Warner, A Zampa
T20I squad: A Finch (c), S Abbott, A Agar, A Carey (VC), P Cummins (VC), M Marsh, G Maxwell, J Richardson, K Richardson, S Smith, M Starc, M Wade, D Warner, A Zampa
