IPL 2021: Glenn Maxwell was released by Kings XI Punjab prior to the auction.© BCCI
Australian Glenn Maxwell was picked up for a whopping 14.25 crore by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2021 Indian Premier League auction after an intense bidding war with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). It entered the auction at a base price of Rs. 2 crore. Maxwell, who had a disappointing 2020 IPL season where he managed just 108 runs in 13 matches, has an impressive IPL overall record of 1505 runs in 83 games with a hit rate of 154.67. He was released by the Punjab Kings prior to the auction. He has been a mainstay in the Australian limited overs setup and has 1,687 runs of 67 T20I, plus 6,581 runs overall from 301 T20 to 27.19 and a strike rate of 152.05.
Maxwell has also enjoyed a hot streak recently, hitting 66, 37 and 70 in the Big Bash League for Melbourne Stars.
Maxwell’s ability to hit big shots and his success in India in previous IPL seasons were factors behind teams bidding for him aggressively.
Ultimately, for RCB, Maxwell was a replacement for Moeen Ali, another high-impact SUV who had been released prior to the auction.
RCB had entered the auction with a salary cap of Rs. 35.4 crore. With players like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers among them, the addition of Maxwell will only bolster his batting lineup.
RCB had also released Maxwell’s friend and Australian teammate Aaron Finch prior to the auction. However, Maxwell is unlikely to replace Finch at the top of the order, although the Aussie has played as a starter before.
Promoted
Maxwell’s most successful IPL season came in 2014 when he broke 552 runs in 16 games with 34.50 and a strike rate of 187.75.
Capitalizing on Maxwell’s superlative effort, the Punjab Kings reached the league final that season and finished runner-up to the Kolkata Knight Riders.
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