'It makes my job a little easier' - Glenn Maxwell on batting with Virat Kohli

1079 days. That is how long it took for Glenn Maxwell to end his six-hitting drought in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Australian batsman had the most forgettable season last year while playing for the KL Rahul-led Kings XI Punjab (Punjab Kings now) as he amassed only 108 runs in 13 games.

More astonishing than his poor run of form was that Maxwell, known for his big-hitting abilities, was not able to hit even a single maximum in the entire edition. He had a sensational season in 2014, when the tournament, much like 2020, was shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), although for a different season (general elections in India). Given that, the expectations from the hard-hitting batsman were even higher last time. However, he was far from meeting those.

Unable to perform for a couple of editions in a row, he was released by his franchise ahead of the 2021 edition. However, despite his poor run, Royal Challengers Bangalore showed faith in his abilities and shelled out a whopping 14.25 Crores for him in the auctions, making Maxwell one of the most expensive buys in the league’s history.

It is nice to have the captain at the other end: Glenn Maxwell

As if the pressure of not being able to perform as per his reputation was any less, the price tag attached next to his name only added more of it. However, Maxwell finally got into his elements when the IPL 2021 edition commenced in Chennai, with Virat Kohli’s RCB taking on defending champions and five-time winners Mumbai Indians.

Chasing a target of 160, Maxwell walked in when RCB was reduced to 46/2. He steadied his team through a 52-run partnership with skipper Kohli, scoring 39 from 28, including three fours and two sixes. After the game, Harshal Patel, the Player of the Match for his record fifer, caught up with Maxwell for a brief chat, where the batsman expressed his satisfaction about batting alongside skipper Virat Kohli.

“It is nice to start well and to have the captain at the other end, it makes my job a little easier,” said Maxwell. “It certainly felt good. I did not hit a single six last year, I did remind Virat of me not hitting a six last year. To hit one out of the middle, it is a bit of monkey off the back.”, he added.