Being rested for a game just before the finals destroyed my momentum: Glenn Maxwell

Glen Maxwell receiving the CEAT International popular choice award from Dilip Vengsarkar

Glenn maxwell emerged the biggest sensation of this IPL at the start with his flamboyant knocks. He almost scored a century thrice, and regularly maintained his strike rate at around 200. However, during the later stages, he averaged just 13 in 9 innings, losing the immense momentum generated at the start. He eventually won the Most Valuable Player award, but only by half a point over Chennai Super Kings Dwayne Smith. He also lost out in the race to Orange Cap to KKR’s Robin Uthappa.

A day after Kings XI Punjab suffered a heart-breaking loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in their first ever IPL final, Maxwell was in Mumbai to receive the 'CEAT International popular choice award' where the dismayed Aussie revealed the reason for his sudden downslide.

He said that KXIP's decision to 'rest' him for the encounter against the Rajasthan Royals on May 23 hurt him. Interestingly, it was the only game which Maxwell, who scored 554 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 187. 75, didn't play.

"The problem I had, I think, was being rested for one game frustrated me a bit," he said in a chat with Times of India. "Especially since it was in a game against the (Rajasthan) Royals, against whom I had played so well previously. It destroyed my momentum. I got a 0, 6,13,0 after that.”

"If I would have continued playing, I would have been able to get some form before the final. Then I came against Delhi (Daredevils), who put up only 110 on the board. So, it was a lose-lose situation, and then I went straight into the final. It is tedious when you miss a game just before the final, especially when you need momentum and some form back. That didn't happen, but I'm proud of the way the boys played," said Maxwell when asked if not playing against RR hurt his rhythm.

Maxwell played some destructive shots throughout the IPL, targeting the mid-wicket region in particular. His reverse hits also came off the middle of the bat and took the bowlers, especially spinners, by surprise. He attributed this power hitting to his penchant for playing golf.

“I play a lot of golf. My slog sweep is a bit like my golf swing which is like a 'snap hook'. I've always had pretty fast hands. I back myself to clear the topes. I try and target certain bowlers depending on fields. Basically ,it's just about swinging hard and hoping for the best,” he said.

Kings XI Punjab has made their mark in their maiden finals, with Wriddhiman Saha hitting a 100, though they tasted an unexpected loss with KKR chasing it in the last over. Maxwell though, looked optimistic about the coming seasons as he said, "To get so close, and yet be so far was disappointing, but the Kings had an unbelievable season. Hopefully, we can go one step further next year.”

At just 25 years of age, we certainly can expect a lot from Maxwell in the coming years.