Set to turn 35 in the upcoming ODI World Cup, Glenn Maxwell insists he has plenty left to give
Maxwell still hungry for international success
Glenn Maxwell wants to play for Australia as long as possible and has declared his experience makes him a valuable proposition beyond the ODI World Cup.
Among Maxwell's contemporaries, opening batter Aaron Finch retired from international cricket earlier this year and David Warner plans to follow suit in the summer.
More changes are likely in the coming years with Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith and Mitch Marsh among the other white-ball mainstays now in their 30s.
In other indicators the limited-overs set-up is in a period of transition, Matthew Wade has been overlooked for the coming T20 series against South Africa and Marsh has been named the new captain.
Maxwell turns 35 during the World Cup that begins in India in October but the middle-order batter has no plans to follow anyone out the door just yet.
"I'll keep playing as long as people will have me, until they think that someone is more deserving of my spot, which is fine," he said at the launch of Kayo's World Cup coverage on Monday.
"Until then, I'll keep plugging along.
"I still feel fit, I still feel young, especially with the role I play. I still try to hit it to hotspots on the field, I'm not hiding at all."
Far from feeling hampered by his age, the middle-order stalwart is emboldened by the lessons learned across 226 white-ball internationals.
Maxwell has ridden the highs including starring in Australia's victorious 2015 World Cup campaign, and his unbeaten 145 against Sri Lanka in 2016, to lows such as his relegation from the ODI side after the 2019 World Cup.
"I've got a lot of scar tissue that's been built up from the mistakes I've made in that role," he said.
"It's a hard thing for a young player to come in and do that role.
"When you have those young guys that come in, they might have success with their first game but a couple of games of failure, it's really hard to come back from.
"Sometimes you just get used to failure as an older person and you can sort of have the resilience to come back from it."
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A career travelling the world playing in franchise T20 leagues, similar to those enjoyed by Chris Lynn, Tim David or Dan Christian, appeals to Maxwell.
But he said that would not come at the expense of playing for Australia.
"It certainly looks better as far as time-wise, even just missing birthdays, weddings, life events. I think that appeals to me," he said.
"But in saying that, I've still got a fair way to go in my cricket career.
"There's still some things I really want to tick off in my career. I think if I retired early, I probably wouldn't be doing justice to my younger self, who had all these goals and aspirations.
"There's still a few things I want to tick off."
2023 Qantas T20s v South Africa
August 30: First T20I, Durban (August 31, 2am AEST)
September 1: Second T20I, Durban (September 2, 2am AEST)
September 3: Third T20I, Durban, September 3, 10pm AEST
Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa
South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen
2023 Qantas ODIs v South Africa
September 7: First ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST
September 9: Second ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST
September 12: Third ODI, Potchefstroom (D/N), 9pm AEST
September 15: Fourth ODI, Centurion (D/N), 9pm AEST
September 17: Fifth ODI, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST
Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Brjor Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen