MAXI ON ROAD BACK

Injured star talks about his recovery from broken leg

ON the day Australia’s Test squad for India was named, Glenn Maxwell had his first batting and bowling session since the freak accident in November that left him with a broken leg.

Maxwell, who scored a Test century in India six years ago and had set his sights on returning, said the “door is shut” for any late charge to join the upcoming tour midstream.

But importantly, the allrounder came through unscathed from his first hitout.

And while Maxwell may have been absent from the field for the past two months, it doesn‘t mean he hasn’t been following the game closely. He’s even been breaking life-changing news to teammates.

Maxwell reveals that before Cameron Green was picked up in the recent IPL auction for a record-breaking $3.15m, he told the West Australian what sort of payday was ahead.

“I did message him just before his name came up and mentioned, ‘Get ready for a big payday’,” Maxwell said.

“I sort of had an insider in the room who was talking about what he was going to go for, so I knew he was going to go for around the $3m mark. He was pretty nervous the whole night, but it was a great result.”

Maxwell’s Victorian teammate Todd Murphy will go to India and Maxwell is enthused about what the offspinner could bring to the Australian squad.

“He’s extremely accurate, he’s got great skills and he’s got a great head on his shoulders,” Maxwell said.

“He’s a really impressive guy, the way he’s been able to take on big players and generally come out on top. He’s been groomed as Nathan Lyon’s successor, and they’re big shoes to fill, but we’re very lucky to have him in Victoria at the moment.

“Even though tracks in Australia are not very spin friendly, I feel he’s done a great job.”

Maxwell has tried to look at things philosophically since the injury that shattered his fibula, chipped his tibia and ruptured all the ligaments in his foot, ruling him out of cricket for an extended period.

The 34-year-old even said the enforced break had given him a mental refresher, and you can see that he’s back looking fit and strong after initially losing 5kg following the injury.

But he admitted the team camaraderie is what he has missed the most.

“The time away from playing the game and the pressures of playing the game, I haven’t missed as much,” he said. “But being around the change room and going out and playing with your mates is the thing I‘ve missed the most. ”