Cheteshwar Pujara, a key player for India, recently shared his honest thoughts about Glenn Maxwell’s performance in the IPL. He felt that there have been moments when Maxwell has seemed a bit too laid-back, and it’s time for him to step up and prove himself, especially since his contributions have declined over the last seasons.
Maxwell, who was bought by the Punjab Kings for a whopping Rs 4.2 crore during the IPL 2025 auction, hasn’t exactly made a strong impression yet. He’s managed to score only 41 runs over five games, which is pretty disappointing with an average of just 8.2. On the bowling side, he’s taken four wickets in six outings, but his economy rate is decent at 8.46. Pujara emphasized that Maxwell needs to understand how crucial he is to the team’s success. Punjab is relying on him to deliver some solid performances if they want to clinch the IPL title, and showing more drive is essential.
Pujara mentioned that Maxwell’s approach to the IPL hasn’t really changed over the years. He’s acting much like he did eight to ten years ago, and while Pujara admits he might sound a bit harsh, he believes that players need to snap out of a slump at times. Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Pujara said that there are moments when players need a wake-up call, especially when the team is counting on them.
On the other side, Yuzvendra Chahal has also been keeping an eye on both Maxwell and the struggles that batsmen from Royal Challengers Bangalore have faced against slower bowlers like R Sai Kishore, Kuldeep Yadav, and Vipraj Nigam. These bowlers have put up good performances, causing some trouble for the batsmen when the field spread out. Chahal, having spent years with the RCB, is quite familiar with the Bengaluru pitch and the playing conditions.
Chahal recently had a triumphant match against Kolkata Knight Riders, securing four wickets, which puts him back in good form. Maxwell, despite his current batting slump, is hoping that this won’t affect his place in the team for the upcoming game on Friday. It’ll be interesting to see how their familiarity with the conditions plays into their performances going forward, especially since they both have reasons to want to shine in their next match.
