Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell confirmed on Tuesday that he has decided not to enter this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) player auction, which will likely be held in mid-December in Abu Dhabi. Maxwell, hence, will miss the IPL for the first time since 2019.
Maxwell, 37, made the announcement with a statement released on his social media page.
“After many unforgettable seasons in the IPL, I’ve decided not to put my name into the auction this year. It’s a big call, and one I make with a lot of gratitude for everything this league has given me,” he said.
“The IPL has helped shape me as a cricketer and as a person. I’ve been lucky to play with world-class teammates, represent incredible franchises, and perform in front of fans whose passion is unmatched. The memories, the challenges, and the energy of India will stay with me forever.
“Thank you for all your support over the years, hopefully see you soon. Cheers Maxi.”
Speculations had begun after Maxwell's name was surprisingly missing from the 13-page Excel sheet of 1,355 players who had registered for the mini-auction for IPL 2026. He was earlier released by the Punjab Kings after a meagre return in IPL 2025, where he scored only 48 runs, which included single-digit scores in each of the last four matches, and picked up four wickets in the only six matches he played. Halfway through the season, he was ruled out after sustaining a fractured finger and was replaced by fellow Australian Mitchell Owen.
{{/usCountry}}Speculations had begun after Maxwell's name was surprisingly missing from the 13-page Excel sheet of 1,355 players who had registered for the mini-auction for IPL 2026. He was earlier released by the Punjab Kings after a meagre return in IPL 2025, where he scored only 48 runs, which included single-digit scores in each of the last four matches, and picked up four wickets in the only six matches he played. Halfway through the season, he was ruled out after sustaining a fractured finger and was replaced by fellow Australian Mitchell Owen.
{{/usCountry}}Maxwell, who had retired from ODI cricket in June this year, was acquired by the Punjab Kings for the third time in his IPL career for INR 4.2 crore. He previously played for the franchise between 2014 and 2017, and then in 2021.
PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting had explained that the franchise could not get the best out of Maxwell last season and that Aussie was told that he would not make their best XI for the IPL 2026.
“Love Glenn and what he brings to the game. Unfortunately, last year we weren’t able to get the best out of him,” Ponting told Star Sports last month. “Looking ahead to this season, we didn’t feel he would be part of our starting team, so we decided to release him."
Overall, he has been part of the IPL for 13 years, scoring 2819 runs at a strike rate of 155.15. His best performance came donning the PBKS jersey in 2014, when he had scored 552 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 187.8. However, his performance had dropped significantly over the last few seasons. In his last 15 innings, he only scored 100 runs at 6.67.