GLENN MAXWELL
(Australia)
He has been the blue-eyed boy of IPL franchises at the Player Auction for a decade. But when it comes to justifying his potential — and hefty price tag — Maxwell has ended up as Max-fail most seasons.
The picture changed in 2021 and Maxwell found his true calling. Call it the Mike Hesson’s calming effect or being in the shadows of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, Maxwell flourished in both phases of the IPL to end up with his most successful IPL season so far. Once he took his time to get his eye in consistently, Maxwell made most attacks look ordinary. And his batting prowess also rubbed on to his off-spin bowling, especially on the slower surfaces.
In fact, Maxwell turned out to be the most important factor in ensuring the Royal Challengers Bangalore booked a place in the Playoffs with a couple of games to spare. He may not have helped RCB clinch its maiden IPL title but his Australian teammates would be hoping that he plays a crucial role and help Australia end its 14-year drought in the T20 World Cup.