He's just that close to winning a game for us: Josh Hazlewood backs Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell hasn’t been in the best of touches in the yellow stripes ahead of the T20 World Cup. However, his Australian and RCB teammate, Josh Hazlewood, believes that it is just a lean patch that shall pass.

Maxi is an instrumental force in the ranks of Australian middle-order however, at the moment, he has been seemingly off his element with his blade barely doing the talking. Much to his woes, the last 6 T20Is that he has been a part of have returned single digits for the Big Show.

Talking about Maxwell's form, Josh Hazlewood said, “I've played a lot with Glenn lately, in particular at RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and obviously the Australian team, and all three aspects of the game he's outstanding. 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.”

There have been questions about whether the batting order that Australia is following has not quite been tbe right fit to Maxi’s abilities. However, Hazlewood had to say contrary to popular belief, it is the exact same middle order that has been a boon to Maxwell’s style of playing. It fits perfectly with Maxwell’s blitzkriegs in the middle.

Josh further said, “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. 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."

Australia will be playing their final T20I against England on October 14th while they start their T20 World Cup campaign against their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in Sydney on October 22nd.