Australia’s cricket selectors are eyeing Glenn Maxwell for a potential comeback to the Test team during the upcoming Sri Lanka tour, aiming to revamp their squad as they prepare to defend their World Test Championship (WTC) title.
Recently, Cricket Australia (CA) unveiled squads for the UK tour, prioritizing strategic planning for key upcoming series against India and Sri Lanka. As part of this strategy, Maxwell and Mitchell Starc have been given rest periods during the white-ball series against Scotland and England. Additionally, Pat Cummins will sit out the entire series against Scotland and England to ensure he and other key players remain fresh for the crucial Test matches ahead, both at home and abroad.
Glenn Maxwell set for Test comeback in Sri Lanka tour next year
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian selectors are mulling over the return of Glenn Maxwell to the Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour next year. Maxwell is being considered for the role of a spin all-rounder, valued for his off-spin bowling skills and batting prowess, particularly in subcontinental conditions.
Although Maxwell hasn’t featured in Test cricket since 2017, he came close to selection during Australia’s 2022 tour of Sri Lanka. Following David Warner’s retirement and insights gained from the drawn 1-1 series in Sri Lanka, Maxwell’s prospects have brightened significantly to secure a spot in the playing XI tailored for the specific challenges of the island nation.
According to the report, there are proposed changes in Australia’s Test XI for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour. Travis Head is being considered to open the batting, potentially swapping positions with Steve Smith. Pete Handscomb and Josh Inglis are also under consideration, possibly replacing Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey in the starting lineup.
Glenn Maxwell is anticipated to bat at either seven or eight, fulfilling the role of a spinning all-rounder ahead of Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, and Matt Kuhnemann, who impressed during the previous India tour.
Spinners Mitch Swepson and Adam Zampa are in contention to capitalize on Sri Lanka’s spin-friendly pitches. Meanwhile, Cameron Green’s seam bowling will be crucial as an alternative pace option alongside Cummins. These strategic adjustments aim to optimize Australia’s squad composition for the challenging conditions expected during the Sri Lanka series.
There’s a pretty clear plan in place: George Bailey
Australian selection chair George Bailey said: “What we do know about Sri Lanka is that potentially the surfaces there do give you a bit of a different make-up of your Test side, so it doesn’t tend to look exactly the same as what the Test team over the Australian summer might look like.
There’s a pretty clear plan in place in terms of what the test prep will look like and getting away and ensuring guys get some time in similar conditions or Sri Lankan conditions before the start of those two tests.”
Notably, Maxwell made his Test debut against India in Hyderabad in 2013, and since then he has played only seven matches, all of which have been played on the subcontinent. He scored 339 runs and took eight wickets in seven Test matches for the Australian cricket team.
Earlier, the Australia all-rounder expressed hopes to be a part of the team for the Sri Lanka tour in 2025, saying, “If I can get there and hopefully be good enough to take part in the series.”
