Australia’s Glenn Maxwell has not given up hope of playing Test cricket again and says his record in the subcontinent could earn him a recall for the first time in more than seven years when the team tour Sri Lanka in early 2025.
The subcontinent has been a happy hunting ground for Maxwell, who played all seven of his tests against South Asian teams.
His only Test hundred came in India, and he was one of the architects of Australia’s triumph in the 50-overs World Cup in India last month.
Maxwell, who has not played Test cricket since September 2017, is under no illusions how difficult it is to break into Australia’s test squad and the 35-year-old thinks he may have to bide his time for the Sri Lanka tour in a little over a year’s time.
“I’m quite understanding the circumstances of the current side. They’re playing some really good cricket, they’re World Test Champions,” the all-rounder said on Australian radio station SEN yesterday.
“There’s not a lot of spots up for grabs as far as Tests at home, but I know that when it does come to a sub-continent tour I can be a real viable option to hopefully fill a role in that side.
“I don’t think there’s another sub-continent tour until early 2025. So, I’ll keep trying to plug away and hopefully get an opportunity at that stage.”
While Maxwell is hoping to set the Big Bash League alight with his explosive batting and crafty off-spin, some of his Australia team mates are preparing for the three-test home series against Pakistan.
“It would have been nice to play one at home, it’s where I played all my first-class cricket and it felt like I toiled away for a few years there,” Maxwell said.
“It’s something that I wish I would have been able to do. But circumstances and timing I probably was more preferred in the white-ball area.”
Buckingham replaces sore
Neser for PM’s XI clashMichael Neser has been withdrawn from the Prime Minister’s XI match against Pakistan with soreness as a precaution ahead of the Test summer, it was reported by the Australian Associated Press (AAP) yesterday.
Jordan Buckingham will replace the 33-year-old paceman in the side for the four-day game at Manuka Oval beginning today.
“We’re taking a cautious approach with Michael,” said chief selector George Bailey.
“The elevated risk of potentially another large bowling load in the four-day PM XI’s fixture was deemed too high.
“We want to ensure that should the opportunity arise to play more Test cricket this summer that we are giving him the best chance to be ready to perform.”
Queenslander Neser’s most recent of his two Test appearances came against the West Indies in Adelaide last summer, taking five wickets for the match, and he was also called up to join the Australian squad for the World Test Championship final and early stages the Ashes tour on the back of his form for county side Glamorgan.
But West Australian Lance Morris, having recovered from a back injury, has usurped him in the squad for the first Test of the home summer against Pakistan from December 14 in Perth, joining Scott Boland as a back-up pace option.
Brisbane Heat medical staff are still weighing up Neser’s Big Bash availability ahead of their KFC BBL
13 opener against Melbourne Stars tomorrow night, but it’s understood he is set to play with a four-over spell in T20 cricket viewed as a much smaller risk compared to potentially 30 overs in a four-day game.
The Prime Minister’s XI match doubles as a legitimate selection trial to replace David Warner at the top of the order after his planned Test retirement following the New Year’s match against Pakistan at the SCG.
Marcus Harris, Matthew Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft – the three leading candidates to fill Warner’s spot – have all been selected.
SQUADSPrime Minister’s XI squad: Nathan McSweeney (c), Cameron Bancroft, Jordan Buckingham, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Nathan McAndrew, Todd Murphy, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Beau Webster
Pakistan squad:
Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
