NEW DELHI: Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell spilled the beans on the group infighting throughout his stint with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) within the IPL, the place he performed from 2014 to 2017.
Maxwell had an impressive 2014 season, amassing 552 runs with a strike price exceeding 187. Nevertheless, his fortunes declined in the course of the 2017 season, and his position got here underneath scanner because of shifting of energy construction, as he revealed in his newest guide.
Virender Sehwag was roped in as mentor of Punjab and it was the time when Maxwell was named the aspect’s captain. Nevertheless, the duo discovered themselves at loggerheads with Sehwag asserting his authority and taking management of selections, together with choosing the taking part in XI.
“When it got here to choice, I believed it may be a good suggestion to carry the coaches right into a WhatsApp group to make our selections. Everybody agreed to this and shared their groups, except Sehwag,” Maxwell wrote in his guide, the excerpt of which was revealed on ESPNCricinfo.
“On the finish of the method, he made it clear that he would choose the beginning XI, finish of story. We had been dropping on and off the sphere by now, with Sehwag on a couple of event making selections that did not essentially make sense.”
Maxwell revealed that his relationship with Sehwag deteriorated additional after he publicly criticized him. This public criticism deepened the rift between the 2, worsening their already strained dynamic.
“The season got here right down to our ultimate group sport in opposition to Pune away from house, and we had a shocker batting first on a moist wicket, rolled for 73. It was throughout. Within the context of what was occurring, I am nonetheless fairly happy with how we had been in a position to broadly hold the present on the street till that stage,” Maxwell wrote.
“I used to be additionally pleased with how I carried out, doing the fitting factor as chief by giving myself the prospect to affect video games on the proper time with bat and ball. In fact, we had been all flat to not make the postseason, nevertheless it might have been a lot worse.
“I volunteered to do press that night time, however Sehwag stated he would as a substitute. Upon getting onto the group bus, I discovered I might been deleted from the principle WhatsApp group. What was occurring right here? By the point we reached the lodge my telephone was blowing up, with Sehwag having unloaded on me as a “massive disappointment”, blaming me for not taking accountability as captain, and all the remainder. It was disagreeable, particularly once I thought we had parted on good phrases.”
“I texted him to say how a lot it damage to learn these feedback and added that he had misplaced a fan in me for the best way he had performed himself. Sehwag’s response was easy: “Do not want fan such as you.” We by no means spoke once more. I knew my time was at an finish and instructed the homeowners as a lot: if Sehwag was going to stay round, they had been making a mistake and to not hassle with me. He solely lasted yet one more season,” Maxwell wrote.
