Why Is Glenn Maxwell Absent from the NZ T20 Series Due to Injury?
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Synopsis
Glenn Maxwell faces another setback as he is ruled out of the T20 series against New Zealand due to a wrist injury sustained during training. Josh Philippe steps in as his replacement. With several players unavailable, Australia prepares for a challenging series ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Key Takeaways
- Maxwell injured during training, ruled out of T20 series.
- Josh Philippe steps in as a replacement.
- Maxwell's injury is a significant loss for Australia.
- The T20 series is crucial for World Cup preparations.
- Australia faces several injury challenges ahead of the series.
Mount Maunganui, Sep 30 (NationPress) Glenn Maxwell has been excluded from Australia’s three-match T20 series against New Zealand following a fractured forearm sustained in a peculiar training incident at Mount Maunganui.
On Tuesday morning, Cricket Australia announced that the 36-year-old allrounder will miss the trans-Tasman series, with wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe stepping in as his replacement.
Maxwell suffered the injury while bowling in the nets to hard-hitting allrounder Mitchell Owen at Tauranga’s Bay Oval. The impact fractured his forearm, ruling him out of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy T20s, which commence Wednesday. He will head home for a specialist assessment to outline his recovery timeline.
Allrounder Matthew Short, who was batting in an adjacent net during the incident, recalled the moment: “I caught it out of the corner of my eye. We train under a marquee, which makes it quite echo-y and loud. I saw (Owen) hit it hard and the aftermath – it struck Maxi on the wrist. The sound was concerning. (Owen) is definitely not the bowler you want to face in T20 practice. Maxi’s experienced serious injuries before, so he’s understandably disappointed, but he'll recover from this.”
This injury is another unfortunate hurdle for Maxwell, who previously fractured his leg in an accident at a birthday party three years ago and suffered a concussion during the 2023 World Cup after a fall from a golf cart. He had started this domestic summer on a high, scoring a 73-ball century for Victoria in the One-Day Cup and an impressive 62 off 36 balls in Australia’s latest T20I against South Africa.
Marcus Stoinis, returning to the T20 squad after almost a year, emphasized the significance of these matches as a stepping stone towards next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka: “This marks the beginning of that journey. The selectors have a vision for how the team should be shaped for the World Cup, so we are excited about this challenge against New Zealand. They’re a formidable team and consistently perform well in major tournaments.”
Philippe, stepping in for Maxwell, enters the squad in excellent form following his recent performances for Australia A, including a remarkable 123 not out and a half-century in India earlier this month. The 28-year-old has played 12 T20Is, with his last appearance for Australia dating back to December 2023.
Maxwell’s absence adds to an increasing list of unavailable stars. Josh Inglis was ruled out with a calf strain and replaced by Alex Carey. Pat Cummins is sidelined due to a back issue, Mitchell Starc has stepped away from T20 internationals, and Cameron Green is focusing on Sheffield Shield cricket to ensure a successful return to bowling ahead of the Ashes.
The T20 series against New Zealand begins on October 1 at Bay Oval, with the following matches on October 3 and 4 at the same venue.
New Zealand squad: Michael Bracewell (c), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matt Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
Point of View
I believe that injuries are an unfortunate part of sports, and Glenn Maxwell's absence is a significant loss for Australia. However, this also opens opportunities for other players to step up. The focus should be on how the team adapts and prepares for the challenges ahead, particularly with the T20 World Cup on the horizon.
NationPress
30/09/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What injury did Glenn Maxwell sustain?
Glenn Maxwell suffered a fractured forearm during a training session.
Who has replaced Glenn Maxwell in the squad?
Josh Philippe has been called up as Maxwell's replacement.
When does the T20 series against New Zealand start?
The T20 series begins on October 1.
What challenges does Australia face with Maxwell's absence?
Maxwell's injury adds to a growing list of unavailable players, impacting the team's strategy leading up to the World Cup.
What are Maxwell's recent performances?
Maxwell recently scored a 73-ball century for Victoria and an unbeaten 62 off 36 balls in his last T20I.
