‘What on earth was that?’: Former cricketers slam Maxwell

NEW DELHI: Glenn Maxwell‘s performance proved to be the biggest disappointment for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL 2024 Eliminator clash against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. The star player, often hailed as the ‘Big Show’ for his explosive batting prowess, was dismissed for a golden duck, matching Dinesh Karthik’s dubious record of 18 ducks in the Indian Premier League.
The critical over by veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin turned the game on its head.After removing the in-form Cameron Green for 27 off 21 balls, Ashwin outsmarted Maxwell with a deceptive delivery, resulting in Maxwell’s golden duck. This key moment significantly contributed to RCB’s downfall, leading to their eventual exit from the tournament.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan and ex-England skipper Kevin Pietersen did not hold back their criticism.

Taking to X, Pathan questioned Maxwell’s shot selection, posting, “What was Maxwell doing?”
His sentiment was echoed by Pietersen, who, while commentating, remarked, “What on earth was that from Glenn Maxwell? This is a huge game, you need your biggest players to perform, you need to give yourself a chance. That from Glenn Maxwell isn’t good enough.”
The disappointment surrounding Maxwell’s performance was palpable. Known for his aggressive and match-winning abilities, Maxwell’s failure in such a critical game drew ire from fans and analysts alike. Pietersen’s on-air critique underscored the gravity of Maxwell’s failure to deliver when it mattered most.
With this dismissal, Maxwell joined Dinesh Karthik at the top of an unwanted leaderboard for the most ducks in IPL history, each having 18 to their name. They are followed by Indian skipper Rohit Sharma with 17 ducks, and Piyush Chawla, Mandeep Singh, and Sunil Narine, each with 15 ducks.