Melbourne, Feb 11 (PTI) Ending up in hospital after a late-night party in Adelaide was “less than ideal”, conceded Australian swashbuckler Glenn Maxwell about the headline-grabbing incident last month, saying his family was affected more than him by the dramatic turns of events.
Maxwell was out drinking and watching a concert by ‘Six and Out’, the band featuring former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, when he felt unwell and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance last month. He reportedly lost consciousness during the ride.
“I think probably it affected my family a little bit more than it affected me. I knew I had that week off. And obviously that incident was less than ideal, and the timing,” Maxwell was quoted as saying by the ‘Australian Associated Press’.
“But I had that week (during which the incident took place) off, I knew I had that week off away from the game,” he said.
On Sunday, the 35-year-old showed that he remains Australia’s most dangerous batter in the shorter formats as he smashed a sensational 120 not out off 55 balls against the West Indies. It was a record-equalling fifth T20I hundred for him.
“…I came back and got back into my running, my gym program and it felt really good and refreshed once I got back. And it’s all been focused on getting myself ready for this (T20) series and what’s to come,” he said.
Cricket Australia (CA) had launched an investigation into the incident and as a result, he was not a part of the preceding ODI series against the West Indies. Later, head coach Andrew McDonald urged the big-hitter “to hold up his end of the bargain” and “take care of himself”.
“He needs to obviously have a look at what he’s doing at his end and is that the right thing to be doing at that time?” McDonald had stated.
Maxwell said he moved on quickly from the incident in Adelaide.
“I just moved on pretty quickly. I was back in training on Monday so I was pretty good. The coach, Bails, everyone really, they have been outstanding,” On his knock on Sunday, Maxwell said he knew a special effort was coming from his bat.
“I woke up this morning and I just had a funny feeling. I don’t get it very often, and especially batting middle-order you don’t get it often. But I just got a good look at their (West Indies) attack last game in Hobart, and felt like I got a good read of what they were bowling.
“I was disappointed getting out there in the same sort of scenario – short square boundaries with the ground quite similar, and another good wicket. So I felt like I’d missed out again, and I said ‘you know what, I can’t let this opportunity slip’,” he said.
Talking about his life off the field, Maxwell said it is mostly devoted to chilling with his young family.
“…just a lot of family time. I think having that much downtime with the family at the moment, it has just been so good for me away from cricket. And I sort of come to cricket, it is just fun now, I’m able to just go out and just enjoy it,” he said.
Maxwell is not new to being in the news for off-field drama.
Last year, he faced a series of injuries but despite that, he performed admirably in the World Cup.
During the ODI World Cup in India, Maxwell suffered concussion when he fell off a golf cart in Ahmedabad.
In 2022, he broke his leg when he slipped while running at a friend’s birthday party and remained out of action for more than three months. PTI BS PM BS PM PM
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