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Glenn Maxwell, who was picked for Rs 4.2 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction by the Punjab Kings, has scored 41 runs in five matches at a miserable average of 8.2.
Glenn Maxwell has picked four wickets in six games in IPL 2025 (Picture credit: AP)
Star India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has said that there have been times when Glenn Maxwell has been a little ‘casual’ and it is high time he wakes up and puts on a good performance, as the star Australian allrounder’s stakes keep falling in the Indian Premier League.
Maxwell, who was picked for Rs 4.2 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction by the Punjab Kings, has scored 41 runs in five matches at a miserable average of 8.2. He has picked up just four wickets in six games, although his economy has been impressive, at 8.46.
Pujara said that Maxwell must realise that Punjab is dependent upon him for runs so they can win the IPL title, and hence he must show hunger.
“He hasn’t changed the way he has approached the IPL. There have been times when he’s been a little casual. He’s the same as he was, maybe eight to ten years ago. I’m a little critical, but there are times when, as a player, you need to wake up,” Pujara said while speaking on ESPNCricinfo.
“You need to realise you’re getting an opportunity to play and be part of a franchise where things are at stake. And there are times a player can get casual, they’re not worried about what’s happening,” Pujara added.
Maxwell’s performance in IPL 2024 was woeful, managing just 52 runs in nine matches at an average of 5.77. He picked up six wickets in as many bowling innings, at an economy of eight.
Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal, in the company of Maxwell, will have noticed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batters’ struggle against slow bowlers R Sai Kishore (2/22, Gujarat Titans), Kuldeep Yadav (2/17) and Vipraj Nigam (2/18, both Delhi Capitals) in Bengaluru, once the field was spread out.
Both Chahal and Maxwell will be armed with their familiarity with the conditions in Bengaluru as well, courtesy of the years spent at the Royal Challengers’ dugout.
But Chahal, who returned to form with a four-fer against the Kolkata Knight Riders and Maxwell, assuming that his dull form with the bat will not hinder his inclusion in the XI on Friday, operates aside from the conditions.
