‘I’ll keep plugging along and try to win games…’, Maxwell keen to extend his international career as long as possible

New Delhi: Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell said he is keen to stay in the Australian set-up for as long as possible, emphasising that his experience renders him a valuable asset beyond the upcoming ODI World Cup.

The all-rounder is still considered a crucial element in the white-ball set-up and has earned his place in the Australian squad for the forthcoming South Africa tour, also finding a spot in the preliminary ODI World Cup squad.

Maxwell encountered a substantial setback following the 2022 T20 World Cup due to a severe leg injury. The injury, which involved multiple fractures, occurred as a result of a slip during a social gathering, leading to his extended absence from the sport.

Now, the 34-year-old is feeling primed after a broken leg ruined his 2022/23 summer and can’t wait to be a part of the T20 leg of Australia’s white-ball tour of South Africa starting later this month ahead of the 50-over World Cup in India that begins in October.

“I’ll keep playing as long as people will have me, until they think that someone is more deserving of my spot, which is fine. Until then, I’ll keep plugging along and trying to win games as much as I can. I still feel fit, I still feel young, especially with the role I play. I still try to get to hotspots in the field so I’m not hiding at all.

“I think it‘s nice in my role that you can have someone who’s experienced. It’s a hard thing for a young player to come in and do that role,” Maxwell was quoted by Fox Cricket.

Australia has announced a fairly experienced squad for the tour of South Africa, introducing a few newcomers such as Aaron Hardie and Spencer Johnson, who are poised to make their debut appearances in overseas matches.

These series are always handy for younger players trying to break into the national side, but Maxwell says experience is crucial and it’s why he wants to stay on as the team’s batting anchor who can change a game in the space of five overs.

“I‘ve got a lot of scar tissue that’s been built up from the mistakes I’ve made in that role and I think that sort of comes with experience. You need that sort of built-up resilience. You need to have made those mistakes to be better at that middle-order role.

“When you have those young guys that come in, they might have success with their first game but a couple of games of failure, it’s really hard to come back from. Sometimes you just get used to failure as an older person and you can sort of have the resilience to come back from it. I’ll play as long as I’m wanted,” he said.

Maxwell will travel to South Africa this week for the three T20Is and will return home, missing the five ODIs, for the birth of his first child before rejoining the squad in India for the World Cup.

–IANS