Former Australian opener David Warner has ruled out the possibility of his former teammate Glenn Maxwell getting a Test recall. Warner is not convinced about Maxwell making it to Australia's Test squad for the two-Test series on Sri Lankan soil next year which will be crucial for their World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final chances. The southpaw believes that Maxwell does not deserve the opportunity considering he hasn't played for Victoria's Sheffield Shield team of late.
“If you’re not being picked for your Shield team, then why do you deserve it? You’ve got to actually want it, to want to play four-day cricket,” David Warner told Code Sports.
“Unless he’s putting his hand up, he’s playing all the club cricket stuff and all that, to want to play Test cricket. He in my (opinion), doesn’t deserve that opportunity.”
Maxwell averages just over 26 from seven Tests. His only Test century came against India seven years ago. He hasn't played first-class cricket since his country stint for Kent last year. However, his ability to play spin well may be a major reason why he is hopeful of playing Test cricket after seven years.
“I just don’t think you can keep putting your hand up to say, ‘I want to play just that.’ You know, it’s like me saying I just want to play in Australia, like you’ve gotta be seen to be wanting to do the work grind it out and do that,” Warner added.
Maxwell looked to back his strength in red-ball cricket
Earlier, the 36-year-old had expressed that he wants to play Test cricket. His plans rammed into a roadblock as he sustained a hamstring during white-ball series against Pakistan and missed out on two Sheffield Shield matches.
“The week or so leading up [to the Sri Lankan Tests in 2022] is probably the most fun I have ever had in practice and training, going into different conditions, working out different strategies and trying to implement them against your own teammates,” Maxwell said on the Sydney Morning Herald.
“My tactics will be exactly the same as I have played it in Tests in the past, backing my strengths and trying to have a really solid defence and back scoring options around that."
Maxwell's next appearance
The T20 speciallist will be seen in action in Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25 opener against Perth Scorchers. He will play under the leadership of newly-appointed Melbourne Stars captain Marcus Stoinis.
