'Hopefully my body’s going really well and I can put my hand up for the Test stuff' - Glenn Maxwell

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell revealed that a leg injury from two years ago continues to affect him, potentially risking his aspirations for a Test cricket comeback. The 35-year-old has a huge challenge to prove his fitness and secure a spot in the Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

Maxwell's Test career has been limited, with only seven appearances since his debut, the last of which was in September 2017. Despite a Test average of 26.07, Maxwell scored a century against India. His recent first-class experience includes a stint with Warwickshire in July 2023. Still, the effects of a freak leg injury from November 2022 have put a threat to his Test ambitions. The Melbourne-born addressed the ongoing issues with his leg.

"It’s still my leg. It’s what is giving me the most grief since breaking it, so it’s still a work in progress. It’s something I have to work hard on every day to make sure it’s in a position where I feel like I can get through a full day of cricket unscathed and hopefully pain-free, He told as quoted by news.com.au.

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You’ve got to have a really solid game plan against spin: Glenn Maxwell

Maxwell opened up about his determination about getting his body fit ahead of the upcoming tour and is optimistic if given a chance has a good showing with both bat and ball. The road to recovery has been further complicated by additional setbacks, including a concussion during the 2023 World Cup and an alcohol-related incident earlier this year. 

"It would be great if I could get my body into a position where I can play over (in Sri Lanka), but as far as Shield cricket, I’m not sure how much they’ll take that into consideration, and whether or not I need to prove I can get through four days of cricket before I play Test cricket. Hopefully, my body’s going really well and I can put my hand up for the Test stuff as well, but there’s still a lot of work left to do and a lot of boxes to tick before then," he added.

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Discussing the selection process for the Sri Lanka tour, Maxwell provided insight into the unique requirements for subcontinental conditions. 

"They’ve been pretty open to selecting outside the box for players who do well in those conditions, and knowing what it’s like in Sri Lanka, I don’t think Shield form is going to be a huge factor in how someone is going to go over there. It’s just completely different conditions, you’ve got to have a really solid game plan against spin and a really good idea of how you’re going to tackle them in those conditions – it’s a different beast," he concluded.