Cricket 2024: Glenn Maxwell ’interested’ in Shield return with eyes on potential Test return

Glenn Maxwell could make his much anticipated red-ball return this summer as an early 2025 Test opportunity looms, while Will Pucovski’s return to cricket remains up in the air.

Glenn Maxwell is “interested” in making a rare first-class appearance for Victoria before Christmas as he eyes a long-awaited return to Test cricket early next year.

But Vics coach Chris Rogers remained tight-lipped on the future of embattled opener Will Pucovski whose official playing status remains indeterminate despite the start of the men’s domestic season being less than a month away.

Victoria’s campaign begins with a one-dayer against Tasmania at Junction Oval on September 23 before a clash with the Tigers to open the Sheffield Shield season a fortnight later.

The Vics have six Shield matches before the Big Bash League hiatus, and while Australia has a white-ball tour of the UK in September and home one-day and Twenty20 series against Pakistan in November, there are windows either side of the Pakistan matches in which Maxwell could potentially play for his state in the four-day competition.

The veteran all-rounder has played just two first-class matches since the end of 2019, the last of which came for English county side Warwickshire in July last year.

Glenn Maxwell is interested in making a Shield return. Picture: AFP

But Maxwell, who turns 36 in October, has not given up hope of adding to the seven Tests he has played, all of which came in Asia and the last of which was against Bangladesh almost seven years ago.

He is on the radar for the two Test series in Sri Lanka due to begin late next January which could make or break Australia’s quest to defend its World Test Championship crown.

Given his reputation as a strong player of spin, combined with his off-spinning ability, Maxwell was on the cusp of a Test recall in Sri Lanka in mid-2022 and almost certainly would have toured India for a Test series early last year if not for breaking his leg in a freak accident at home.

Glenn Maxwell has a Test century to his name against India. Picture: AFP

It’s understood Maxwell does not necessarily need to play in the Shield to be considered for the tour, however his ability to get through a first-class match would engender confidence in national selectors given Maxwell has dealt with the long-term lingering effects of the leg injury.

Rogers said on Tuesday that the door had certainly not been closed on a Shield appearance for Maxwell.

“He’s definitely interested in it with the Sri Lanka Test tour coming up. He’s got a little bit of his eye on that. So I know he’s interested. And then we’ll just have to work through that,” Rogers told this masthead.

Will Pucovski’s playing future is still up in the air. Picture: Getty Images

There is much more pessimism though around the prospects of Pucovski lining up for Victoria. The one-Test opener’s future has been in limbo since being felled by Riley Meredith during a Shield match in March, and while he was awarded a Cricket Victoria contract for 2024-25, it was contingent on medical clearance given his long history with concussion.

Almost six months on from Pucovski’s most recent game, there has been no announcement on whether he has been given the green light to proceed. It’s understood he has spent time overseas recently and that teammates believe he is almost no chance of playing again professionally, with the hold up believed to be at least in part related to potential legal and contractual fallout.

Rogers played a straight bat on the situation.

“I think that stuff’s still to be resolved,” Rogers said.

“I’m not fully across that. I think those are the discussions that are happening between his team and CV and (Cricket Australia).”

Emerging batter Campbell Kellaway is meanwhile on track to be available for the start of the season despite needing surgery on a wrist fracture suffered playing in the UK.