Glenn Maxwell calls time on international cricket after 14 years as Australia turn to youth
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from international cricket at 38, closing a 14-year career that included 149 one-day internationals, 130 Twenty20 internationals and seven Tests, after being overlooked for the upcoming series against England.
Glenn Maxwell, one of the most inventive and explosive batters of his generation, has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing down the curtain on a 14-year career with Australia.
The 38-year-old, nicknamed “The Big Show”, confirmed the decision on The Final Word podcast, saying: “A little bit sad and a little bit inevitable too, but I’m announcing my retirement from international cricket.” He also said he was stepping away from domestic 50-over and red-ball cricket for Victoria.
The announcement followed his omission from Australia’s squad for the upcoming Twenty20 series against England, named on Monday with a clear emphasis on younger players. Maxwell had hoped for a farewell appearance at his home ground, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, during that series, but accepted that the selectors were moving in a different direction.
Maxwell had not played for Australia since the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in February, when his final international appearance came against Oman. He was then bypassed for the series against Bangladesh in June, and his absence from the England squad confirmed that his international career had effectively stalled.
The numbers tell the story of a player who changed what was possible in the middle and lower order. Maxwell played 149 one-day internationals, scoring 3,990 runs, and 130 Twenty20 internationals, scoring 2,897 runs at a strike rate of 154.42 — leaving him as Australia’s third-highest run-scorer in the format, behind David Warner and Aaron Finch. He also played seven Tests, having last appeared in the longest format in 2017.
He won three World Cup titles with Australia, and his most famous innings remains the unbeaten 201 against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup, when he batted through severe cramp to rescue a seemingly lost chase almost single-handedly. It was the kind of innings that defined him: unorthodox, fearless and, on his day, unstoppable.
Maxwell had already retired from one-day international cricket last year, keeping the door open for a Twenty20 farewell. Tuesday’s announcement closed that door as well, formalising a complete exit from representative cricket across all formats.
Managing his body was a central part of the decision, Maxwell indicated, after years of injuries and the physical toll of his all-action style, which included inventive reverse sweeps, switch hits and athletic fielding as well as useful off-spin bowling. Across his international career he scored more than 7,200 runs and took more than 130 wickets.
He will, however, continue to play in the Big Bash League, where his hitting and showmanship made him one of the competition’s biggest draws. That will give Australian crowds at least some more chances to see the player who could turn a match in a handful of overs.
For Australia, the retirement marks a changing of the guard. The selectors’ youth-focused squad for the England series, and Maxwell’s own reference to the changes coming over the next year or two with the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, point to a team being rebuilt around a new generation.
Maxwell leaves without the farewell game he had hoped for, but with a legacy that is secure. Few players have entertained as consistently, or produced as many innings that fans remember years later. The Big Show, as an international act, is over — but the highlights will be replayed for a very long time.
More in Sports
Photo: Babar Azam (file image)
SportsBabar Azam left frustrated by controversial dismissal in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy as replays suggest ball hit thigh pad
Babar Azam was given out caught behind for 28 for Lahore Whites against FATA at the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad, despite replays appearing to show the ball striking his thigh pad rather than his bat.
Photo: P.V. Sindhu (file image)
SportsP.V. Sindhu books place at BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, returning to season-ender for first time since 2021
India’s P.V. Sindhu has qualified for the 2026 BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou from December 9 to 13, her sixth appearance at the season-ending event and her first since finishing runner-up in 2021.
Photo: Mitchell Starc (file image)
SportsMitchell Starc reclaims No. 1 spot in ICC Test bowling rankings after Cape Town nine-wicket haul
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has moved back to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings, overtaking South Africa’s Marco Jansen after taking nine wickets in the third Test in Cape Town and reaching a new career-best rating.