NEW DELHI: Cricket Australia’s Second XI competition will see Glenn Maxwell return to red-ball cricket as part of Victoria’s 12-man squad facing Queensland at Junction Oval from Monday. This marks Maxwell’s first four-day game in over a year, as he gears up for a potential spot in Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka next year.
Maxwell, who has played only two first-class matches in the past five years, sustained a serious leg injury two years ago.As he turns 36 on the match’s first day, his workload will be carefully monitored.
The Second XI competition permits 12 players to take part, with 11 allowed to bat and bowl, providing flexibility in player rotation over four days. Victoria’s squad also includes state captain Will Sutherland, returning from a back injury and bowling under restrictions.
Despite this match, Maxwell is unlikely to play in Victoria’s next Sheffield Shield game starting October 20. The Shield match will feature Australia’s Test players like Steven Smith, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc. Scott Boland is also expected to play.
Maxwell is set to feature in the one-day domestic match against New South Wales on October 25. However, he might miss Victoria’s third and fourth Shield rounds due to Australia’s ODI and T20I series against Pakistan. He may return for the fifth and sixth Shield games before the BBL season.
Key fixtures for Victoria include a pink-ball game against Queensland on November 24 at the Gabba and a home match at the MCG on December 6. Maxwell might also play in a two-day pink-ball Prime Minister’s XI game against India beginning November 30.
Maxwell’s subcontinent experience makes him a strong contender for Australia’s Test tour of Sri Lanka. He was close to playing in the first Test of the 2022 Sri Lanka tour in Galle, prized for his abilities in spin-friendly conditions.
Maxwell has played all seven of his Test matches on the subcontinent, with his last appearance in Bangladesh in 2017. The conditions in Shield cricket are different from those in Sri Lanka, but playing red-ball cricket aids his physical preparation.
The Victorian Second XI squad includes: Will Sutherland (c), Austin Anlezark, Liam Blackford, Dylan Brasher, Xavier Crone, Harry Dixon, Jai Lemire, Reilley Mark, Glenn Maxwell, Jon Merlo, David Moody, and Doug Warren.