Kolkata: Royal Challengers Bengeluru (RCB) are unlikely to get the services of big-hitting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell as the Australian is nursing a ‘hip strain’ and won’t be travelling for an away game against Kolkata Knight Riders to be played at Eden Gardens on Sunday. The 35-year-old, who was one of Australian batting backbones in the ODI World Cup, put up a flop show in the ongoing Indian Premier League with just 32 runs in six matches with an average of 5.33.
Interestingly, Maxwell pulled out of the Sunrisers Hyderabad encounter citing ‘physical and mental toll probably just wore me down a little bit’. Maxwell disclosed about his hip injury on ESPN’s ‘Around the Wicket’ show.
“I’ve actually got a little bit of a hip strain so I’ve got a few more days off and during recovery,” he said. “So I’ve got a little period here where I’m still training, still trying to get myself right. If there is a spot that becomes available, I’ll obviously put my hand up and take it,” he said.
“It’s not one of those things where I’ve set a date that I’ll be out for three games then I’ll come back whenever I’m ready. That’s that’s not how it works. I haven’t been at a level that’s good enough to warrant a spot on the side this year,” he added.
As far as RCB are concerned, the Bengaluru-based franchise are languishing at the bottom of the points table with just a single win out of seven games. Their only win came against Punjab Kings. On the other hand, Maxwell signed for Washington Freedom in the Major League Cricket where he will unite with Travis Head, Steve Smith and head coach Ricky Ponting. The second edition of the USA franchise league is slated from July 4.
“I’ve been speaking to Ricky Ponting and a few other players a fair bit over the last little period and certainly extremely excited to get stuck in,” he said. “It’s a tournament that I watched from afar last year and was extremely excited about hopefully playing this tournament one day and luckily enough the timings have aligned this year,” he added.
