“I desperately wanted to be on that tour” - Glenn Maxwell reacts after once again being ignored for SL vs AUS 2025 Tests

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell opened up after being snubbed by the selectors for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka in the subcontinent. The veteran has been eyeing a comeback into the red-ball side through an away tour for ages but was once again not considered for the role.

Australia named several spin bowling options for the upcoming tour, which includes frontline options like Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann, and Todd Murphy, along with all-rounders and part-time options like Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Beau Webster, and youngster Cooper Connolly.

Maxwell's last first-class game was in July 2023 in the County Championship for Kent against Warwickshire. All seven of his Test appearances so far have been in the subcontinent, with the last coming in 2017. He came close to returning to the squad the last time Australia toured Sri Lanka in 2022.

The all-rounder was unavailable for the 2023 Border-Gavaskar series in India after breaking his leg post the 2022 T20 World Cup, an injury that sidelined him for several months.

"It's just selection. There's always going to be people wanting to be there and I made no secret that I desperately wanted to be on that tour, but I can completely understand their reasoning," Maxwell said (via ESPN Cricinfo)

"The fact that they're already in the World Test Championship final, they've got a couple of Tests in Sri Lanka and there's going to be some sub-continent tours over the next few years, so they get to look a few new guys in those conditions," he added

Maxwell responded to the selectors' snub with consecutive fifties in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the Melbourne Stars. His player-of-the-match displays against the Sixers and the Renegades have propelled the franchise to the fifth spot after being dead bottom initially, on the verge of elimination.

"I certainly would've made the same decision as they have" - Glenn Maxwell

Stand-in skipper Steve Smith vouched for Cooper Connolly's selection in the squad. The youngster made his white-ball debut for Australia during the tour of England in 2024 and is having a solid season with the Perth Scorchers in the 2024-25 BBL.

"What an experience for those guys to go over there - Cooper Connolly on his first Test tour - I certainly would've made the same decision as they have," Maxwell added

Australia's tour of Sri Lanka kickstarts with the first Test on January 29 at the Galle International Stadium.