Glenn Maxwell will be remembered as one of the biggest hitters of the ball. His range of shots, the audacity of his strokeplay, and extraordinary scoring rate make him a unique presence in cricketing history. Whenever fans look back at Maxwell’s career, his unbeaten 201 against Afghanistan in the 2023 World Cup will take centre stage. However, as the 38-year-old brings the curtain down on his international career, the numbers reveal that there was more to Australia’s ‘Big Show’ than his batting exploits.
Maxwell played 279 international white-ball matches, 149 ODIs and 130 T20Is. In these matches, he amassed 6,887 runs, picked up 128 wickets and completed 153 catches. There is an interesting pattern to notice when Maxwell’s career is compared with other Australian all-rounders like Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis. He does not emerge as the batter with the highest average or the most prolific wicket-taker, but the combination of explosive run-scoring, useful bowling contributions and an exceptional catching record sets him apart.
Maxwell’s batting numbers
The biggest advantage of Maxwell, the batter, was his scoring rate. In ODIs, he scored 3,990 runs at a strike rate of 126.71. Among the other all-rounders under consideration, the closest to him is Mitchell Marsh, who has a strike rate of 96.92. Watson scored at a rate of 90.45, while Symonds and Stoinis recorded 92.44 and 93.97, respectively.
This suggests that Maxwell scored nearly 30 runs more per 100 deliveries than his closest competitor. However, the pattern becomes interesting when batting averages are considered. Watson averaged 40.54 in ODIs, followed by Symonds at 39.75 and Marsh at 38.15. Maxwell had a much lower average of 33.81. This reveals an interesting contrast between Maxwell’s superior scoring speed and his lower returns per dismissal.
The T20I comparison also reveals that Maxwell maintained a higher scoring rate over a sustained period. He scored 2,897 runs at a strike rate of 154.42. Among the all-rounders in the comparison, Watson had a strike rate of 145.33, Marsh recorded 142.08, and Stoinis had 146.28. Maxwell was ahead of them all. Only Symonds recorded a higher scoring rate at 169.34; however, he played just 14 T20Is compared to Maxwell’s 130.
The overlooked contribution
The fielding contributions from Maxwell add another dimension to his career. He took 91 catches in ODIs and 62 in T20Is. Interestingly, in both formats, he took more catches than he took wickets. In ODIs, he picked up 77 wickets, while in T20Is, he finished with 51.
Among the five Australian all-rounders in discussion, Maxwell is the only one with more catches than wickets in both formats. His ODI catching numbers are particularly impressive when adjusted for his number of appearances.
Maxwell averaged 61.1 catches per 100 ODI matches. Symonds, who was widely known for his fielding abilities, averaged 41.4. Watson averaged 33.7 catches per 100 matches, while Marsh and Stoinis recorded 35.2 and 25.4, respectively. The frequency of catching opportunities and the fielding positions do matter in this case; however, the significant difference in the numbers underlines the contribution Maxwell made without the bat or the ball.
His bowling numbers suggest that Maxwell was primarily an additional option who offered flexibility to the team combination. Across ODIs and T20Is combined, he played more matches than all the others on the list. However, when it comes to wicket-taking numbers, Maxwell’s 128 wickets place him behind Watson’s 216 and Symonds’ 141, but ahead of Stoinis’ 101 and Marsh’s 74.
This comparison does not establish Maxwell as Australia’s greatest white-ball all-rounder. Instead, it highlights the dynamism he brought to the table. The nature of his contributions gives him a unique place among Australia’s all-rounders. He had the knack of making himself useful in all three disciplines.
