'Very Surprising...': Australia Batting Star Sharpening Bowling For T20 World Cup In India
Glenn Maxwell is honing his spin-bowling for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, aiming to excel in powerplay overs on spinner-friendly pitches.
With an eye on next year's T20 World Cup in the Indian subcontinent, charismatic Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is honing his spin-bowling skills to become more effective during the powerplay overs, as he might need to bowl with the new ball on spinner-friendly pitches.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and if fully fit, the spin-bowling all-rounder is likely to be part of the Australian team as it aims to reclaim the trophy it last won in 2021.
Maxwell has been a regular in the Indian Premier League, representing various teams, with his most successful stints being with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, where he has excelled as a powerful batter capable of making decisive impacts with the ball.
Despite his bowling skills, Maxwell has bowled only five powerplay overs in total in the shortest format between the 2022 T20 World Cup and the ongoing home series against South Africa.
However, the 36-year-old believes he could be useful in powerplay overs during the T20 World Cup as the new ball grips the subcontinent's wickets better.
'I think in the subcontinent you might be able to get a little bit more out of it (wicket) as a spinner early on," Maxwell told cricket.com.au. 'Especially that new ball, the hard seam, being able to grip on those dry surfaces. So it might be something we think about heading forward."
He took two wickets in the second T20I against South Africa in Darwin, including that of skipper Aiden Markram in the fifth powerplay over. 'I love getting wickets. It's very surprising anytime I get anyone out. I'm there to do a job in the powerplay and I'm trying to execute that as well as I can," he said.
Besides his bowling, Maxwell has been flexible in playing at any position based on the team's requirements. 'I've been a bit of the shuffler around the order, up and down. I'm filling holes at the moment. Even during the West Indies series, trying to combat Akeal Hosein (by) going up the top, this series (against South Africa) going a little bit lower, trying to manage that back end (of the innings).
'(I'm) trying to play whatever role is needed for me in this side and just try and be as adaptable as possible," he added.
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