'Got no demons in my head' – Relaxed Maxwell lights up BBL
Maxwell had a dismal ICC Men's Cricket World Cup campaign last year, scoring only 177 runs in 10 matches. He then featured in two Twenty20 Internationals against Sri Lanka in October 2019, scoring 62 in the first match but pulled out of the series before the third game, citing his difficulties with mental health as the reason for withdrawal.
The 31-year-old returned after a two-month break, to lead the Stars in the ninth edition of the BBL and has since set the T20 tournament on fire. With seven wins in eight matches, his team is already at the top of the points table and Maxwell himself is the second highest run-getter so far.
The all-rounder attributes his fantastic form to his break, which according to him, helped him relax and set his priorities straight. He also thanked Cricket Australia for being understanding and providing him support to get through tough times.
"Being mentally fresh before the tournament ... I had no baggage coming in," said Maxwell. "I think back to the break I had and I'm so thankful that Cricket Australia and all the powers that were able to grant me that break to get myself right because I think I'm starting to see the benefits now.
"I've got no demons in my head. I've been able to get everything off my chest and be able to deal with things better."
Just watching G.Maxwell on @FoxCricket i don’t think I’ve seen a batsmen hit the ball as hard since the great sir Vivian.#smashingem
— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) January 10, 2020
Maxwell has hit 311 runs so far in eight matches and has been one of the most aggressive batsmen this BBL, scoring at an impressive average of 77.75 and a strike rate of 169.94, with fellow Australian Mark Waugh even comparing his explosive hitting to that of West Indies legend Viv Richards. While his comeback has been fruitful so far, Maxwell is still trying to find a perfect work-life balance.
"I'm still talking to people about managing different parts of my life to make sure that I have that balance," he said. "It's nice to be a bit more relaxed when I'm batting. I don't have anything going on in the back of my mind, I don't have any of these other thoughts. It's been nice and calm out there."
The flamboyant batsman was left out of Australia's three-ODI series against India but with the ICC Men's T20 World Cup less than 10 months away, his refreshed mindset and form bodes well for the team. Maxwell was also signed up by the Kings XI Punjab franchise in the latest IPL auction last month for INR 10.75 crore.
