'He did it in the first game': Glenn Maxwell lauds AB de Villiers' contribution behind half-century against KKR

IPL 2021: Glenn Maxwell registered his second consecutive fifty in IPL 2021, but credited his RCB teammate AB de Villiers for setting the template to bat on a dry surface.

Swashbuckling batsman Glenn Maxwell registered his second consecutive fifty in IPL 2021, against Kolkata Knight Riders, but credited his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers for setting the template to bat on a dry surface as the one on Sunday at the Chepauk.

Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers in action against KKR. (IPL/Twitter)

Maxwell, who came in to bat after RCB were reduced to 9/2, registered a fifty off 28 balls and went on to score 78 off 49 balls and explained how de Villiers’ knock of 48 against Mumbai Indians in the season opener was a lesson in batting.

"It was nice to get in early. It became hard to time the ball as the innings went on, looked to cash in against the new ball. He (AB de Villiers) did it in the first game, showed his class, was an extraordinary knock, just shows that if you give yourself some time, you can play shots on this surface," Maxwell said after the end of the first innings.

RCB posted 204/4, on the back of fifties from both Maxwell and de Villiers. After Maxwell departed for 78 – only the second time in his IPL career that he’s scored consecutive half-centuries and the first time since 2014 - de Villiers took over and remained unbeaten in 76 off only 34 balls with nine fours and three sixes.

RCB scored 70 runs in the last five overs with de Villiers going bonkers. Once they were reduced to 9/2, Maxwell stitched a 50-plus partnership with Devdutt Padikkal, and even though he fell in the 17th over, the next wicket accounted for 56 unbeaten runs with Kyle Jamieson only contributing 11 off 4 balls.

"Looking to make the most of the form. We'll have to bowl well, use the variations, be accurate, playing shots is easy when there is plenty of pace on the ball," Maxwell added.