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Maxwell doesn’t make our top seven, says Australia skipper Finch
BANGALORE, India, Jan 20, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Glenn Maxwell will have to work
to get back into Australia’s one-day squad despite his brilliant domestic
form, said captain Aaron Finch, who rates the all-rounder outside the
nation’s current top batsmen.
The 31-year-old Maxwell was dropped from Australia’s ODI tour of India
after taking a break to focus on his mental health, one of eight players axed
from the squad that lost the World Cup semi-final to England last year.
“Outside the top seven at the moment,” Finch said when asked to rate
Maxwell after his Australia’s 2-1 series defeat to India in Bangalore on
Sunday.
But Finch said the big-hitting batsman, who has scored 341 runs at an
amazing average of 68.20 for the Melbourne Stars in this season’s Twenty20
Big Bash League, could still earn a recall.
“Anyone can,” said Finch. “It’s about form, picking players for the right
role. I think it’s just going to come down to whichever way you want to match
up, specific roles for specific players.”
India captain Virat Kohli was surprised at Maxwell’s absence from the
Australia team, which he believed would have benefited from his off-spin
bowling.
“Honestly I did not look at the (squad) and I asked Aaron that have you
got only 14… and asked ‘Is Maxwell here?’ and they said he is playing the
BBL,” said Kohli.
“I was a bit surprised that he wasn’t here, especially the way he
performed last time in the T20 series.
“He got a hundred in the last game and they won the series. So surprised
not to see him because he brings the spinning option as well.”
Kohli also heaped praise on Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne, who
made an impact in his debut ODI series with scores of 46 and 54 in the second
and third match.
“He’s a quality player. We were talking outside… he’s very sure of what
he wants to do,” India’s captain said.
“Again, body language, intent, he’s there, he’s running hard between the
wickets, he wants the ball (in the field).
“I think he’s got the right mindset to be a consistent player, to be a top
player in the world for a while.”
BSS/AFP/MSY/1325 hrs