Maxwell inspired to shed 'Big Show'
Allrounder motivated to prove critics wrong and guide the Australians to World Cup glory
A week ago in Perth, it was Glenn Maxwell's bat that was doing the talking.
Even his all-but-ignored off-spinners got in a word here and there as the allrounder with the undeniable latent talent showcased what might be in a man-of-the-match effort in Australia's Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series Final win over England.
But as the 25-year-old, whose on-field flamboyance has seen him labelled as either breathtaking or boastful, has gone public in citing that performance as timely proof that he is indeed a cricketer of substance.
A cricketer who wants to be known come the end of March by no moniker other than a vital component of an Australian team that won the 2015 ICC World Cup.
Speaking in Adelaide prior to the start of Australia's Cup campaign, which begins with a warm-up match against India at the Adelaide Oval tomorrow, Maxwell opened up about the polarised perception of him among the cricket public and the impact of some of those harsh, often uninformed judgements.
"I took different criticism to heart, I didn't let all of it miss me," Maxwell said of the social and even mainstream media commentary that suggested all 'big show' and no substance because of his preparedness to play innovative, high-risk shots sometimes early in his innings.
"I like to think I'm quite laid back and I can cop criticism but sometimes it hits pretty close to home and you sometimes think it's a personal attack on you.
"People are saying I'm an egocentric show-off who doesn't care for the team, sometimes that hurts and don't really understand that.
"For anyone who knows me I'm not like that at all.
"Every time I've ever played for whatever team I've always tried to win the game for the team and have the team's best interests at heart.
"Some people might not think so. Some people might think that all the different shots are me trying to stand out which is complete rubbish and that's the hardest thing to deal with I think.
"When people have a crack at you for being something different, apart from the team.
"I don't want to be known as 'Big Show' or anything like that.
"I just want to be known as an integral part of Australian cricket that's hopefully going to take us to a World Cup."
The criticism that has stung Maxwell peaked around the time that of his bizarre dismissal in a KFC Big Bash League in Brisbane shortly after Christmas.
When, from the first ball he faced, he jumped down the pitch only to offer no stroke and he along with hundreds of thousands nationwide and more around the globe watched in bewilderment as the ball crashed unhindered into his stumps.
The stick he copped in the wake of that lapse has formed part of his revamped game, as has his decision not to unveil his beloved reverse sweep in the initial stages of his innings so as to starve the critics of ammunition as much as anything.
What people are starting to understand is that the reverse sweep is as normal a shot as it can be," Maxwell said.
"I just delay playing it now until I feel like it's acceptable or else they (his critics) are going to say 'oh, what's he doing., he's doing something strange?'."
Maxwell's current ODI captain George Bailey, filling in for injured skipper Michael Clarke, knows that even folks with a passing knowledge of cricket carry opinions of the all-rounder's technique and his temperament.
But Bailey also understands what motivates many of those judgements, and he is no doubt they are rooted in envy. Pure and simplistic.
"I think most people are jealous that he can do a lot of things that they can't cricketers and non-cricketers," Bailey said today.
"Certainly as a player and as someone who thinks about the game a lot, and probably over-thinks it personally, (I believe that) for someone to have the freedom and the balls to play the game they want it to be played there should be nothing but admiration.
"Within that comes responsibilities, but Maxy knows that as well as anyone and doesn't need everyone telling him that if he does that he stays in the team and if he doesn't then, he doesn't.
"I think if you have a look at his record and more and more if you give him an opportunity and responsibility he responds really well.
"That's in my experience having played with him a little bit in India as well."
Tomorrow's warm-up match will be played under more flexible match conditions than the tournament games that follow, with each team allowed to use up to the 15 players within their squad although they won't be able to bat more than 11.
Allrounder Shane Watson has confirmed he will be fit to play and to pick up some of the bowling workload in the absence of James Faulkner who along with Clarke, remains sidelined due to injury.
Australia are hopeful the pair will be available for selection for their second match of the World Cup against Bangladesh in Brisbane on February 21. Before that Australia have a final warm-up match against the UAE (Feb 11) and the Cup opener against England (Feb 14), both at the MCG.
