Struggling Glenn Maxwell gets support from teammate going into T20 World Cup: 'He's a key part of our team'

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has experienced an alarming dip in form with the bat this year and has failed to register a double-digit score in his last six innings.

Glenn Maxwell's form has become a talking point for Australia going into the 2022 T20 World Cup, which they are set to host later this month. Maxwell, widely rated as one of the most destructive limited overs batters in the world, has gone six innings without getting a double-digit score. His highest score in the last 10 innings is 29 off 21 balls which he scored against Sri Lanka and that also marks the only time in these innings that he managed a score above 15 runs..

Australia's Glenn Maxwell has scored only single digit scores in his last six innings. (AP)

In the recently concluded T20I series against India, Maxwell could score a paltry seven runs in three innings which also included a duck. The 33-year old was dismissed for just eight runs in the second T20I of the ongoing series between Australia and England on Wednesday. Since scoring 70 off 37 against New Zealand in March 2021, the right handed batter has gone without a half century for 22 innings now. Adding to the misery, he hasn't impressed with the ball either.

His teammate and the top ranked T20I bowler Josh Hazlewood has thrown his weight behind Maxwell. "I've played a lot with Glenn lately, in particular at RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and obviously the Australian team, but all three aspects of the game he's outstanding," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au after Australia's second consecutive loss to England in the ongoing T20I series.

"He's just that close to winning a game for us off his own bat or the ball or in the field. So, he's a key part of our team and just adds that balance beautifully. You don't want him going away from his natural instinct either.He's the sort of a player that just reacts to what's coming and plays his game and that's the one thing you want from Glenn all the time," added the fast bowler.

Hazlewood further highlighted how the rise of Mitchell Marsh at No.3 and teammates like Tim David, Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade who can do power-hitting in the lower middle order had given Maxwell the liberty to play his natural attacking game.

"Having that depth of batters, I think adds to that; he can just go out and play his game, whether it's in the first six overs or outside that against spin, where he's in particular pretty destructive. So I think he just (needs a) free mindset and (to) play his game."