Australian all-rounder steps away from 50-over cricket, citing physical toll but eyes one last dance in T20Is
Glenn Maxwell, the man behind one of the most surreal ODI knocks ever witnessed, has officially called time on his 50-over international career.
The 36-year-old announced his retirement in a deeply personal interview, stating his body just can’t cope with the grind of ODIs anymore. Yet, he’s not done yet. T20s? He’s still game—at least until the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The final bow: 149 ODIs, two World Cups, one unforgettable legacy
Maxwell’s ODI chapter closes with 149 matches, 3,901 runs, and a pair of World Cup trophies—2015 and 2023.
But stats don’t tell even half the story.
He redefined what white-ball batting could be. Power, audacity, improvisation—call it what you want, but when Maxwell was on, the game bent around him. The highlight reel? November 7, 2023, against Afghanistan. Cramping, crawling, yet smashing an unbeaten 201. The kind of knock you remember where you were watching it.
And now, he exits the 50-over format, leaving fans grateful and maybe a little gutted.
No bitterness, just honesty from a body that’s had enough
Maxwell’s decision wasn’t dramatic. No press conference, no farewell tour. Just a clear-eyed conversation and a microphone.
Speaking on the Final Word Podcast, he shared how the aftermath of his Champions Trophy outings told him all he needed to know. His body had been shouting for a while. He finally listened.
He explained it with genuine emotion: “I felt like I was letting the team down… I pulled up sore after games. That’s not fair when others are pushing flat out.”
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He broke his leg in 2022 and never truly felt the same since
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Repeated soreness raised doubts about playing until 2027
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Chat with George Bailey, Australia’s selector, sealed it
“I didn’t want to hold on just to tick a few boxes or be selfish,” Maxwell said. “That’s not how I wanted to go out.”
One last shot at T20 gold: 2026 in India is circled
While the 50-over game fades in his rearview, T20s are still burning bright for Maxwell.
The next T20 World Cup, set to be hosted in India in 2026, seems to be his personal farewell target. He still hits it as clean as ever, and in the shortest format, he doesn’t need to push his body through 100 overs of toil.
Expect selectors to hold onto him as long as they can. Why wouldn’t they?
He remains a match-winner, plain and simple. Also—let’s be real—he’s still selling tickets and jerseys.
Maxwell’s T20 form has never dipped the way his ODI fitness did. He remains a utility option with the ball and a fielder few can rival. If you’re picking a squad to go deep in a global tournament, you’d want him on your list.
One sentence for rhythm.
The bigger picture: Australia’s ODI rebuild now begins
With both Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell bowing out from ODIs within weeks of each other, Australia is staring at a significant reshuffle. The clock has started ticking toward the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.
Let’s break down what it looks like now:
| Player | Status | Replacement Pipeline |
|---|---|---|
| Glenn Maxwell | Retired ODI | Aaron Hardie, Matt Short |
| Steven Smith | Retired ODI | Josh Inglis, Fraser-McGurk |
| David Warner | Retired 2023 | Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tim Ward |
| Pat Cummins | Still Active | Captain, for now |
| Marnus Labuschagne | Still Active | Role under review |
This isn’t just an end—it’s a start for a fresh-look Aussie white-ball unit.
There’s talk already of giving young batting talents like Fraser-McGurk a long rope. And in Maxwell’s own words, it’s the right time: “This gives them the best look at what the line-up is leading into that next World Cup.”
More than numbers: a chaotic genius, a showman, a heartbeat
You can look at the career stats. Or you can just remember the feel of a Maxwell innings.
The reverse sweeps. The slog sweeps. The “how-did-he-do-that?” lofts over cover with a straight bat. He was frustrating, sure. But he was also fearless.
He once said he didn’t mind being misunderstood—he’d rather entertain than conform.
That alone made him different.
Some fans criticized him for inconsistency. Others stood by him for the madness he brought—because if the chaos clicked, it was showtime.
He was the guy who could score a hundred off 50 balls and the next game make 12 off 10. But when he came off? No one else could touch him.
What’s next? Commentary gigs? Coaching? A bit of both?
While Maxwell is still locked in for T20s, his off-field persona is already peeking through.
He’s been a podcast regular, a fan favorite in interviews, and someone who wears his emotions out in the open. Don’t be surprised if you hear him in commentary booths or see him mentoring the next generation sooner than later.
He loves the game. You can hear it in every word he speaks.
His cricketing brain might be just as useful off the field as it was on it.
