How Royal Challengers Bangalore have unearthed ‘The Big Show’ in Glenn Maxwell

Since the 2014 edition, where glitz and gold were all over the all-rounder, Glenn Maxwell, who was just in his third IPL season in that edition, has endured a mega-drought with regards to his form; a lost appetite of sorts. The Big Show never arrived. In fact, even after blockbuster budgets, the box office always shooed and the audience booed. 

What went wrong with Punjab?

But despite that, there is a point to ponder, when Maxwell has indeed batted below No.4, at 5 and 6, his form has taken a dip, with the dot-ball percentage increasing. Even at No.4, a position that he has desired in International cricket, Maxwell has faced 32.9% dot balls, which signifies that he isn’t a crash-bang-wallop cricketer, as branded by several experts. 

For Punjab, Maxwell walked mostly, at No.5, where he has faced 91 balls, across nine innings, which roughly accounts for ten deliveries every innings. A relatively slow-starter like Maxwell usually suffers in such a situation, which has been the tale of his Punjab days. But when promoted, at No.3, where he has faced 9 deliveries, the all-rounder scored 13 runs, which in reality should have indicated the franchise his strong point. 

What’s the ideal solution?

Since 2019 in the Big Bash League, plying his trade for Melbourne Stars - where he also captains the side - Maxwell has primarily batted at No.4, in 22 innings. In the 22 innings, the right-hander has put on 496 runs from 356 deliveries, averaging 27.6 while striking it at nearly 140, with a dot-ball percentage of 32.9%. The all-rounder isn’t a prolific starter nor a prolific death-over batsman from the word go, like AB de Villiers.

Since 2019, yet again, an interesting point of view from the Big Bash League is that, Maxwell is second on the list of batsmen to have topped the batting charts in the tournament, just behind Moises Henriques. During the two-year phase, Maxwell has scored 496 runs, four shy of 500, averaging 27.56 and striking it at 139.33 with four half-centuries, showing that he is an able run-accumulator, who can really time the ball, once set. 

What RCB have done perfectly

Identifying his perfect role, RCB have played Maxwell at No.4 this season, where he's scored 98 runs in two innings, at an average of 49 and a strike rate of 142. Further to add to that, a set Maxwell in the death overs this year, has scored 43 runs off 26 deliveries, striking it at 165. 

The problem which has hindered him from the 2014 season was his batting position. Throwback to the 2014 season, where Maxwell turned out for Kings XI Punjab, the right-hander had scored 552 runs, averaging nearly 35 and a strike rate of 187.8, tilting all debates in his favour. But why and how did that happen?