The charismatic Glenn Maxwell sustained an injury while bowling to Mitchell Owen in the nets in the lead-up to the T20I series against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui. The right-handed batter hit a delivery back towards Maxwell at force, and it fractured his wrist on impact. He immediately returned home to see a specialist and opted to have surgery to try and bring the recovery time down to four weeks to give himself a slim chance of playing against India.
Maxwell wasn't picked in the squad for the first
two T20Is against India, which will be played on October 29 and 31. However, he hopes to get fit in time for the final three matches, which are scheduled to be held on November 2, 6, and 8.
"I think having the surgery last week sort of gives me a little bit more hope of playing some part in that India series, if I can get myself right. The only reason I had the surgery was the options they gave me were miss that series completely and no surgery, or have surgery and it gives me a slim chance to hopefully play a part. And if not, I'll be ready earlier for the BBL, and I think it leaves me in good stead to get the rest of my body right," Maxwell was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Maxwell said he had a cast removed on Wednesday and will now wear a moulded plastic splint to protect it for some time, but he had been given the green signal to start moving the wrist again.
"I only met with a hand therapist yesterday," Maxwell said. "He only gave me some really basic movements, things that look really boring, but I suppose they're going to strengthen the wrist."
The Kew-born mentioned that there isn't any concern with regards to aggravating the injury, but he will have to assess how he feels while batting. This was the latest entrant in Maxwell's peculiar list of freakish injuries, which includes a broken leg at a birthday party and a concussion from falling off a golf cart.
"I was probably just a bit unlucky with the position that it hit me on the arm. When it hit me, I thought I was lucky that it hit just bone and it wasn't too much flesh, and it was going to be right. But, yeah, another unlucky one," Maxwell said.
I try to avoid bowling to those guys: Maxwell
Maxwell named some of the power hitters in the Australian batting line-up and admitted that he will have to make better plans while bowling against them during the upcoming edition of the Big Bash League (BBL).
"I try to avoid bowling to those guys. Guys like Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Mitch Owen and Cam Green, long levers, strong, it just comes back too quick. It's not fun, But I should know better. I should know better to bowl into the hip and I'll be doing that I think come BBL time," Maxwell said.
Maxwell also expressed his excitement as the legendary Ravichandran Ashwin is set to make his BBL debut this season. The second-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket will play for Sydney Thunder in the 15th edition of the tournament.
"That's really exciting. It's great for the competition. I think anytime you can get world-class superstars who have got the career that he has as a part of the BBL is a massive bonus for us. He's been extremely successful. He's got a hell of a lot of wisdom in the game. I think he's going to give back a lot to the players in the BBL. I don't think it's just the Sydney Thunder, I think the guys that are playing against him will probably ask him a lot of questions, and he's certainly going to bring in a lot of fans as well," the 36-year-old stated.
