ASHES 2017-18

Maxwell hopeful of Ashes berth despite poor form

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

Maxwell was dropped after making just 58 runs from three matches in the ODIs and scored 17 in the T20I in Ranchi on his return. © BCCI

Glenn Maxwell, the out-of-form Australian all-rounder, remains hopeful of an Ashesberth despite struggling in limited-overs cricket in India.

The 28-year-old is an incumbent member of Australia's Test team after playing in Bangladesh recently but has struggled in the shorter formats in India. Maxwell was dropped after making just 58 runs from three matches in the One-Day International series and scored 17 in the Twenty20 in Ranchi on his return.

Those low scores have put pressure on Maxwell to retain his Test position but the Victorian maintained he was not worried. "There's still a fair bit of time to go," he said on Monday (October 9). "I'd like to get the opportunity if I do play well in those three Shield games. To play in the Ashes would be an absolute dream. They've made it pretty clear that whoever performs well in the three Shield games will put their name up and get the opportunity.

"I've obviously been a little bit short of runs. I've been hitting the ball sort of how I'd like to, but I just seem to keep getting out at strange times and in different ways."

With three looming Sheffield Shield matches set to be an audition for Australia's first Ashes Test team, Maxwell faces stiff competition for the No. 6 spot with Hilton Cartwright, Marcus Stoinis and Nic Maddinson being potential candidates.

"I haven't really been paying too much attention to it, to be honest," Maxwell said. "I've been a bit mute on social media recently. I've just been concentrating on trying to play good cricket for my country. Hopefully there's runs around the corner and some success around the corner."

Maxwell has been part of a misfiring Australian middle-order and he admitted the batsmen needed to find consistency. "I'm not sure anyone in that middle order's made runs consistently during this tour," he said. "I think all of us have probably got to stand up. As a group I think we need to be winning games of cricket."

© Cricbuzz

TAGS

RELATED STORIES