Maxwell: the millionaire who drives a 15-year-old sedan!

What will you do if you are given a million dollars? What would be a hypothetical question for most has overnight become a fiscally pleasing dilemma facing hard-hitting Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell, the top buy in Sunday's IPL VI auction. Rohit Bhaskar reports.

What will you do if you are given a million dollars? What would be a hypothetical question for most has overnight become a fiscally pleasing dilemma facing hard-hitting Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell, the top buy in Sunday's IPL VI auction.

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A day after getting a golden duck, against West Indies on Saturday, Maxwell was all glitter as the Mumbai Indians bought him for $1 million. Now, what will he do with that money?

In the age-old moral impasse between wants and needs, it's the latter that's more pressing. The 24-year-old was bought for his ability to hit the cricket ball a long distance, but compared to the miles on his car's odometer that's just a drop in the ocean.

Speaking to HT over phone from Melbourne, Maxwell's grade cricket club coach Lloyd Mash jokingly shared what should be his first buy - a pair of hot wheels. "A million dollars is a good deal, I reckon he can buy a good car now, he's been driving a 15-year-old Nissan Maxima for too long!" Mash said lightheartedly.

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If he needs an upgrade from the old sedan, he's got the right set of teammates to help him scope out a fine set of wheels. Sachin Tendulkar is a noted auto buff and was until recently the owner of a Ferrari while Harbhajan Singh has a collection of hot rides, including a Hummer.

And if Maxwell wants to play it safe and wait before he goes into overdrive there's another option, what with Mumbai Indians purchasing a further three Australians (Ricky Ponting, Phillip Hughes and Nathan Coulter-Nile), carpooling!

Mash, who played first-class cricket for Victoria, added on a more serious note that the grounded Maxwell wasn't the kind to go for impulse splurges.

"He's a level-headed bloke. The money will be good, but I doubt if he'll lose much sleep wondering how to spend it. Cricket is his priority, the rest is just a bonus," said Mash, who has worked with Maxwell since he joined Melbourne club, Fitzroy Doncaster, at 19.