T20 World Cup 2022: It’s Glenn Maxwell vs David Warner as Australia are preparing to keep backup wicketkeeping options ready for Matthew Wade, who tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of their big-ticket match against England in Melbourne on Friday.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Oct 28, 2022 10:43 IST
Glenn Maxwell has been keeping wickets in Australia nets (AFP Photo)
By India Today Web Desk: Glenn Maxwell is wasting no time to put himself in contention to keep wickets for Australia at T20 World Cup 2022 if Matthew Wade isn’t ready enough for the role during their much-anticipated Super 12 match against Melbourne on Friday, October 28. Maxwell kept wickets on the eve of the big-ticket clash as the teams had an indoor training session.
Glenn Maxwell, who is more than handy as an off-spin bowler, has not kept wickets in international cricket in the recent past, but the all-rounder said he visited the Kookaburra store on Thursday morning and bought himself a new pair of gloves. Maxwell was flaunting his wicketkeeping skills in a video shared by Cricket Australia. Maxwell even recalled that he had kept wickets against Pakistan in a Test match as early as 2004.
Maxwell’s work with the gloves comes after Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper Matthew Wade tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday evening. Wade is expected to take the field for Australia against England as ICC rules permit players with Covid-19 to play for their teams. Australia team management is considering playing Wade as the wicketkeeper was experiencing only minor symptoms on Thursday.
Australia don’t have a backup specialist wicketkeeper as Josh Inglis was ruled out due to an injury and Australia opted for all-rounder Cameron Green as his replacement.
Notably, captain Aaron Finch had said at the start of the tournament that David Warner would be their back-up wicketkeeper at the T20 World Cup.
Maxwell, while flaunting his exploits as wicketkeeper during the nascent stages of his cricket career, said David Warner was keen on taking over the wicketkeeper’s role on Friday as he doesn’t want to be fielding for Australia.
“I am the last person in this team to keep in a Test match, or keep for Australia, apart from the actual keepers. I kept in Premier Cricket, I have kept in a lot of charity games, because I just don’t want to field, so I take the gloves,” Maxwell said.
“I have kept pretty much most of the way through the juniors. I think I am the number one (candidate).
“But Bull (David Warner) wants to do it because he doesn’t want to field,” he added.
Australia will be raring to have a go at England on Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, provided the rain stays away. Australia were hammered by New Zealand in the Super 12 opener but the hosts bounced back with a dominant win over Sri Lanka in their second match.