Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his decision to take a mental and physical break from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), citing the need to give himself time to rejuvenate and recover after he has struggled with the bat in the competition. (As It Happened | Scorecard)
The Australian all-rounder had injured his finger during RCB's loss against Mumbai Indians last week and was left out of the XI in the run-fest against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday in Bengaluru. However, he revealed that it was not the injury that kept him out but he himself wanted to take a break.
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"I felt like I wasn't contributing with the bat, and with the results and the position we find ourselves on the table, I think it's a good time to give someone else an opportunity to show their wares," he said while adding that the decision to go out of the XI was an easy one for him.
Maxwell who has done well for RCB for the last three years was going through a lean patch this season. The big-hitting Australian has scored just 32 runs at an average of 5.33 and a dismal strike-rate of 94.
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Speaking at the post-match press conference after RCB's 25-run loss, Maxwell said: "It’s actually a good time to give myself a bit of a mental and physical break, get my body right.”
"If I'm required to get in during the tournament, I can, hopefully, get back into a solid mental and physical space where I can make an impact," he remarked optimistically.
Reflecting on his performance in the tournament so far, Maxwell expressed frustration at his lack of luck and inability to convert opportunities.
"Even if you look at the first game, I ran one off the middle of the bat to the keeper. I picked up the length, saw a scoring opportunity, but opened the face a little bit too much.When you are going well, that goes wide of the (wicketkeeper’s) gloves, you get a boundary. You are 4 off 1, and you are away for the tournament," he noted, emphasising the 'fickle nature' of T20 cricket.
“I probably just haven't got away. In the first few games, I feel I made reasonably good decisions (for shot selection). But I was finding ways to get out. It can happen in T20 cricket and when it snowballs like that, you can go searching and try too hard and forget the basics of the game,” he said.
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Overall, Maxwell remains hopeful that the break will allow him to return to form and contribute effectively to uplift his team's disappointing campaign in the IPL. "So, it's frustrating when it ends up like this. But if I can get my body and my mind right, there's no reason I can't finish the tournament well if I do get another opportunity," he concluded.
With the loss against SRH on Monday, RCB's play-off chances are all but over as they have now lost six out of their first seven league games.
