"The ball's coming out as well as it ever has" - Glenn Maxwell confident about his bowling ahead of 2023 World Cup

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has suggested that he doesn't have to practice his bowling as much as he used to given his awareness about the lines and lengths he needs to bowl. The Victorian reckons he's bowling the best he ever has.

With left-arm spinner Ashton Agar ruled out of the 2023 World Cup due to a calf strain, the selectors have earmarked Maxwell to fill the second spinner's slot. The veteran has produced the goods with the ball of late, notably taking four wickets against India in Rajkot to bowl Australia to a convincing win.

Speaking after Australia's win over Pakistan in the final warm-up match on Tuesday, Maxwell said, as quoted by cricket.com.au:

"The ball's coming out as well as it ever has. I'm probably at that place in my career where I don't …. (need) to train as much with my bowling, I've just got a real nice clarity about how it's coming out and what I need to do."

The 34-year-old stressed that he was still weary about his injury but was fine once he got going.

"There's always that weariness I suppose mentally: 'How's it going to go tonight?' But once I get moving, I'm absolutely fine," he said. "We tested a few things out. I had two different spells out in the field (against Pakistan) and bowling as well just to see how the ankle reacts when it is put under a bit of duress."

Maxwell was also in his element with the bat against Pakistan on Tuesday, top-scoring with 77 off 70 deliveries and adding 83 with Cameron Green. He later bagged impressive figures of 8-0-34-1.

"It's been a place I've traditionally batted pretty well in" - Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell. (Image Credits: Twitter)

The Victorian further claimed that playing in India doesn't feel as foreign as it did a few years earlier, adding:

"It's been a place I've traditionally batted pretty well in. I feel like most of our side has had so much experience and so much time over here. You're used to the cultures and used to the little intricacies that come with being a tourist over here. I'd say there's guys here who'd have more than 10 tours to India and spend upwards of three months every year here."

Australia will open their 2023 World Cup campaign against India on October 8th in Chennai.