'He was an absolute superstar' - Glenn Maxwell on Brad Hodge's underrated Test career

Glenn Maxwell has praised Brad Hodge as an underrated talent who deserved more opportunities in Test cricket for Australia. Maxwell reflected on Hodge's career and the competitive era in which he played.

Maxwell described Hodge as someone he admired growing up and was fortunate to play alongside in state cricket. The Australian batter acknowledged that Hodge's international career coincided with a period when the Australian team included world-class players such as Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden.

"Hodge was an absolute superstar. I had posters of him up on my wall and was lucky enough to play state cricket with him. To watch him live, it was incredible. He definitely should have played more Test cricket than he did," Maxwell said on 'Keeping it Cricket' podcast.

"You could probably argue where he would fit in that world-class lineup. In that era, if you were not averaging 50-plus, it was hard to stay in the side. Had he come a generation or two later, he would have played 120 Test matches, but he was a superstar," he added.

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Hodge played only six Test matches for Australia, during which he scored a double century. His first-class record demonstrated his quality as a batter, with 223 matches yielding 17,084 runs at an average of 48.81, including 51 centuries across his domestic career.

Maxwell's comments highlight how the strength of the Australian batting lineup during that period limited opportunities for talented players. The competitive nature of the side meant that maintaining an average above 50 was essential to retain a place in the Test team, a benchmark that affected even accomplished batters like Hodge.

He also praised his Belfast Wolves teammate, New Zealand batter Mark Chapman, saying the left-hander had impressed him with his ball-striking ability.

"The guy I have been playing with a little bit recently, I got to sort of see him a bit more up close and how good he is, is Mark Chapman from New Zealand. His ball striking is really great, for how big he is and how he has not played Tests for New Zealand. He has really impressed me over the last 18 months and in the time I have been playing with him," said Maxwell.