In his new book, “Glenn Maxwell: The Showman,” Glenn Maxwell details the breakdown of his relationship with former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag during their time at Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Background
Maxwell and Sehwag were key players in Punjab’s successful run to the IPL final in 2014. Maxwell was named the player of the tournament, scoring 552 runs. However, things took a turn for the worse in the following seasons.
Glenn Maxwell’s rift with Sehwag
In 2017, Maxwell was appointed as the captain of the franchise, but tensions arose when Sehwag, who had taken up the mentorship role, began making unilateral decisions regarding team selection. Maxwell proposed creating a WhatsApp group to include coaches in the decision-making process, but Sehwag opposed the idea and insisted on picking the starting XI himself.
The relationship reached a breaking point during a match against Rising Pune Supergiant, where Punjab was bundled out for 73 runs. Maxwell initially volunteered to address the press conference but was replaced by Sehwag, who criticized Maxwell as the “big disappointment” of the season. Maxwell texted Sehwag, expressing how hurt he was by the comments, to which Sehwag responded, “Don’t need a fan like you.”
Glenn Maxwell on Relationship with Virendra Sehwag during IPL 2017 pic.twitter.com/H7EXwimCCC
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Maxwell’s relationship with Sehwag never recovered, and he eventually left the franchise. Maxwell now plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore and continues to be a prominent figure in T20 cricket.
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