Maxwell's Test Cricket Hopes in Jeopardy After Hamstring Injury

Glenn Maxwell's hopes of returning to first-class cricket before Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka have been dashed by a hamstring injury sustained during the recent match against Pakistan in Hobart. The injury, diagnosed as a grade two hamstring strain, will keep Maxwell sidelined for up to a month, ruling him out of Victoria’s upcoming Sheffield Shield matches and leaving him with a tight timeframe to be fit for the start of the Big Bash League (BBL) season.

Maxwell suffered the injury while limping off the field during Pakistan’s innings on Monday. The timing of his recovery now raises doubts about his participation in either of Victoria's next two Shield matches against Queensland, which had been seen as crucial opportunities to prove his fitness for international red-ball cricket.

While the injury may not completely end Maxwell’s hopes of making Australia’s squad for the Sri Lanka tour, it significantly narrows his chances. The 35-year-old had been aiming to play these domestic matches to showcase his ability to withstand the demands of four-day cricket, a crucial aspect given his long recovery from a broken leg in 2022. Maxwell made his return to red-ball cricket last month, playing for Victoria’s Second XI against Queensland, where he was encouraged by a solid outing in the field.

Despite missing out on these key matches, Maxwell’s ambition to add to his seven Test caps remains strong. He was particularly disappointed in 2022 when he missed out on the Sri Lanka tour, and he continues to harbour aspirations of making a Test return. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo last month, Maxwell expressed his determination: "I think if I gave up on that Test dream now, I don't think I'd be doing justice to that younger Glenn Maxwell who was dying to put on the baggy green when he was a kid," he said. "And I think while there's still a glimmer of hope, I'll keep going for it."

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch, however, believes Maxwell's injury will not impact his selection for the Sri Lanka tour. Finch remarked, "The very little red-ball cricket Maxi’s played over the last probably five years, if they want to pick him, they'll pick him regardless... it's not about if he goes and gets runs in Shield cricket. I don’t think that comes into it at all because it's the skillset he has got – he's very good against spin, he's very versatile, [and] his offspin is better than part-time."

Australia's chair of selectors, George Bailey, has previously stated that selectors would prioritize specialist picks for the Sri Lanka tour, acknowledging the differences between Australian conditions and those in Sri Lanka. Head coach Andrew McDonald also confirmed that Maxwell remains firmly in the mix for selection, emphasizing the importance of his ability to play against spin in challenging conditions. "The ability to play on that horizontal plane sweeping and reverse sweeping will be a critical skill if the conditions are extreme," McDonald said, adding, “Maxi fits that profile 100 percent.”

However, McDonald also acknowledged that Maxwell’s fitness remains a concern, especially in light of his injury. “The big challenge for Maxi is clearly body and whether he can get through Test cricket, and what that may look like on the back of BBL,” McDonald said. "With Maxi, it’s a case of him playing, seeing how he pulls up, and then making the next decision based on that injury."

Australia's first Test match against Sri Lanka is set to begin on January 29, with a 10-day lead-up period before the match. As a result, players selected for the tour will miss the BBL finals and potentially the final regular-season games. Maxwell’s Melbourne Stars are scheduled to play the opening match of the BBL against Perth Scorchers on December 15, and his recovery will be closely monitored as the tournament progresses.