Glenn Maxwell retires from ODI cricket, leaves door open for T20, 2028 LA Olympic Games

He will go down as one of Australia’s limited overs greats, but one moment during the Champions Trophy forced Glenn Maxwell to consider retiring from one-day cricket. This is why.

Glenn Maxwell’s view that his failing body would not allow him to make it to the next 50-over World Cup has led to the end of his storied one-day international career.

The talismanic all-rounder on Monday announced his retirement from ODIs, though he remains contracted with Cricket Australia and available for Twenty20 internationals including next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Maxwell, 36, has also not yet officially called time on his first-class career, although any meaningful return to that format appears improbable given he has not played a first-class match since mid-2023, and last played Test cricket in 2017.

Australia’s Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to India in early March proved to be the last of the Victorian’s 149 ODIs.

Though he had been optimistic during the early stages of the tournament that his form and fitness may allow him to push towards being part of Australia’s ODI World Cup defence in late 2027, his body started to suggest otherwise.

Glenn Maxwell has played his last ODI for Australia. Picture: AFP

“My decision to retire from one-day international cricket was probably more so on the back of the first couple of games in the Champions Trophy. I felt like I gave myself a really good opportunity to be fit and ready for those games. The first game in Lahore we played on a rock hard outfield and post that game I was pretty sore,” Maxwell told Adam Collins, the co-author of his autobiography, in an interview for the Final Word podcast and the Glenn Maxwell Live website.

“Against Afghanistan we fielded 50 overs on a really, really wet outfield. It was slippery, it was soft, and I just didn’t pull up that well. I started to think about if I don’t have the perfect conditions in 50-over cricket, my body just probably struggled to get through that. It feels like it’s a tiring affair just to get through on the basics of almost surviving the 50 overs, let alone being at my best.

“I felt like I was sort of letting the team down a little bit with how my body was reacting to the conditions. I had a really good chat with (selection chair) George Bailey while we were in the rain delay.”

Glenn Maxwell took 77 ODI wickets with his off spin. Picture: AFP

Given that the white-ball international calendar has long centred around planning for global events, Maxwell decided that he did not want to keep playing bilateral series if he was not going to be a part of the 2027 tournament in Southern Africa.

“We basically talked about the 2027 World Cup, and I basically said to him there and then that I don’t think I’m going to make that and I think it’s time to start planning I suppose for people in my position to have a crack at it and make that spot their own for the 2027 World Cup, and hopefully they have enough of a lead-in where they can I suppose have success in that role.

“I think in reality I’d be doing a disservice to the team by hanging on a little bit longer and struggling to get through, and more hoping rather than expecting to get through. I don’t think that would be fair to anyone.”

Glenn Maxwell incredible unbeaten double century against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup is regarded as one of the best innings in ODI history. Picture: AFP

Maxwell finishes 10 runs shy of 4000 in ODIs, as well as taking 77 wickets with his off-spin. His batting strike rate of 126.70 is the highest of anyone to face 1000 balls in ODIs.

He was a central figure in two ODI World Cup triumphs, most notably the 2023 event in India in which he blasted the fastest century in tournament history against the Netherlands before recovering from an infamous fall from a golf cart and then defying crippling cramps to haul Australia back from oblivion with an unbeaten double century against Afghanistan in Mumbai. The latter knock is his undoubted magnum opus and is widely regarded as one of the most astonishing innings in international cricket history.

Of the 2023 World Cup-winning XI, Maxwell joins David Warner and Steve Smith in retiring from ODIs (Warner has retired from all international cricket), while Marcus Stoinis, dropped for the semi-final in 2023, has also ceased playing one-dayers for Australia.

It’s understood CA had been aware of Maxwell’s likely call to retire from ODIs before its central contract list was unveiled in late March.

Glenn Maxwell’s ODI retirement leaves the door open for the 2028 LA Olympics. Picture: AFP

Maxwell’s decision allows him to play more franchise cricket in the long-term, while his decision to persist in T20s for Australia means his participation in the 2028 Olympics remains a possibility.

“Glenn will be known as one of the one-day game’s most dynamic players, who had key roles in two ODI World Cup victories,” Bailey said.

“His level of natural talent and skill is remarkable. His energy in the field, under-rated ability with the ball and longevity has been superb. What else stands out is his passion for and commitment to playing for Australia.

“Fortunately, he still has much to offer Australia in the T20 format. All things going well he will be pivotal in the next 12 months as we build toward the World Cup early next year.”

Originally published as Glenn Maxwell retires from ODI cricket, leaves door open for T20, 2028 LA Olympic Games