“All I could do was shrug and say sorry” - Glenn Maxwell recalls awkward moment in ODI against India with KL Rahul behind the stumps

Australian batting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell revealed an awkward moment between himself and KL Rahul in his new book 'The Showman by Glenn Maxwell'. The incident occurred during India's tour down under in 2020-21. While the book will be available by the end of October, an extract from it was shared in relation to Maxwell's dismal IPL 2020 before the India series.

Playing in a second stint for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 2020 IPL season, the 36-year-old had a campaign to forget. Maxwell averaged a dismal 15.42 with the bat at a strike rate of under 102. The most staggering stat of Maxwell's during the season was his inability to clear the boundary even once in 13 matches and 106 balls. KL Rahul was PBKS' captain and saw the side finish sixth in the eight-team race.

Yet, a few days later, Maxwell smashed India for a 19-ball 45 with three maximums in the first ODI at Sydney, much to Rahul's dismay. The lines from Maxwell's book narrating the incident as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo read:

"Not for lack of trying, I didn't clear the rope in the whole tournament, something that became an internet joke, building game by game. Returning home for a one-dayer against India straight after the tournament, nine balls into my knock, there was that sweet feeling of a switch hit coming out of the middle for six. I added two more in a minute."

He added:

"When I turned around, I remembered that my Kings captain KL Rahul was behind the stumps for India. The look on his face could best be described as "What the f***?" All I could do was shrug and say sorry. At some point you need to surrender to the reality of what you are. This is me."

Maxwell was part of PBKS from 2014 to 2017, helping them make their lone final appearance in his first season. However, after his disappointing 2020 season, the franchise moved on from the star Australian all-rounder.

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"On that same tour of Australia, he wanted to whisper an idea to me" - Glenn Maxwell on his conversation with Virat Kohli during the 2020/21 series

Australia v India: Super Eight - ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 - Source: Getty

Glenn Maxwell further revealed that an idea from Virat Kohli from the same 2020/21 Indian tour of Australia came to fruition months later. It led to him joining the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for IPL 2021.

The swashbuckling batter has played for RCB from the 2021 to 2024 IPL seasons with predominantly good success.

"Who to thank? Virat Kohli. On that same tour of Australia, he wanted to whisper an idea to me: him, me and AB de Villiers to be the middle order at Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2021. I was in love with this before he finished his sentence. Having started with Sachin and Ricky, the chance to bat with the equivalent of them in my own generation, in those gold pads no less, was irresistible," wrote Maxwell.

Maxwell scored over 300 runs in each of the 2021 to 2023 IPL seasons, including 513 and 400 in 2021 and 2023. However, his form regressed in the 2024 season as he scored a paltry 52 runs in 10 matches at an average of under 6 with no 30+ scores.