“I think not making a decision around my future was probably based more on what’s to come over the next 12 months,” Maxwell told reporters on Wednesday in Melbourne. “There’s not a whole lot of T20 cricket planned, so there’s probably no need to make any sort of formal announcements, and just see how my body’s going and see how I’m travelling and if there’s opportunities to play in the future, hopefully I’m fit and firing.”
Maxwell was asked specifically about whether he thought he could play at the Olympics and the T20 World Cup in 2028 and whether his body and his form could hold up.
“Fit and firing? Hopefully,” Maxwell said. “But yeah, not setting any dates.
“I felt like I got better and better throughout the World Cup. I probably more judge it on how I’m running around the field and how I’m feeling, probably more so than any statistics regarding wickets and runs. And I just felt like I was able to get through games a lot easier. Felt like I was playing my role as well as I could, and felt like I still had plenty to offer.”
Maxwell produced scores of 9, 31 and 22 at the World Cup at an uncharacteristic strike-rate of just 110.71, including the slowest 30-plus score of his career. Since the start of October he has batted 12 times across T20Is and the BBL and averages 15.55 at a strike-rate of 113.82 with a highest score of 39 not out for Stars. He also has four wickets at 45.5 in that time, with a good economy rate of 7.52, but that includes 2 for 13 against Oman in Australia’s last match of the World Cup.
Australia’s next T20I assignment is a three-match series against Bangladesh in Bangladesh in June, which is part of a tour that also includes three ODIs in Bangladesh and three in Pakistan. It appears highly likely that Australia’s selectors will focus on the ODI portion of that tour ahead of the ODI World Cup in 2027 as well as developing youth in the T20 format. Maxwell said he had already held discussions about that tour with selectors.
“We’ve had some discussions about what the next little bit looks like, and we’ll continue to have really open and fluid discussions going forward,” he said. “As I said, if I’m fit and firing and available, I’ll be ready.”
Maxwell has now set his sights on the PSL where he will join a new team in Hyderabad Kingsmen, having never previously played in the PSL.
“[I] looked at the window that I had in between the World Cup and MLC, and with us not going as far into the tournament as I probably previously planned, found myself with a bit more time in between tournaments, and just felt like I would have been going in cold into the next one,” Maxwell said.
“So probably bridges a timing gap beautifully. And opportunity getting to a new team, start at the start with someone, I really like those opportunities. I think to start with a team from the very start is nice to be able to be a part and build a brand.”
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
