Allrounder's strong bowling record against right-handers, and his belief he can tie them down, shaping as crucial in Australia's World Cup strategy
How Maxwell earnt the right to be second spinner
Conventional wisdom in white-ball cricket has long dictated off-spinners should avoid bowling to right-handers, so as not to allow batters to hit with the spin.
But Glenn Maxwell has never been afraid of going against conventional wisdom.
Of all right-arm off-spinners competing at the 2023 World Cup, Maxwell has the fourth-tidiest economy rate against right-handers over the past two years.
It might explain why national selectors have so much faith in Maxwell's skills to deliver as Australia's second spinner at this World Cup, even repeatedly labelling him a specialist bowler.
After all, eight years ago Maxwell's ability with the ball knocked preferred one-day spinner Xavier Doherty out of the XI at the World Cup Australia co-hosted in 2015.
It allowed Australia to play four quicks – Mitchell Johnson, Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Faulkner – which suited home conditions. Admittedly, bouncy Australian pitches reduced teams' reliance on slow bowlers.
Eight years on in spin-friendly India, Maxwell has been entrusted with the role previously held by Ashton Agar, enabling the Aussies to line up with their 'big three' quicks in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins.
"Well, I was the number one spinner in 2015 when we won it, so I've been bumped back to number two," a grinning Maxwell told reporters in Lucknow on Tuesday when asked if he liked the "specialist" tag.
"As I said after Rajkot, the ball's coming out really well. I haven't worked on anything specific, I've just got a real clarity with the way it feels coming out of my hand."
The allrounder, who turns 35 on Saturday, revealed his mentality for bowling to right-handers had changed.
While he still feels more confident of taking the wickets of left-handers, Maxwell says it's easier to protect boundaries when bowling to righties.
"I feel like I've got good control … with the four fielders out and bowling to a lot of right-handers, I'm able to control the scoreboard a little bit easier," Maxwell said.
"It's a bit different with left-handers on strike, so it's probably changed a bit in one-day cricket where bowling to a leftie you might have a better wicket opportunity but bowling to a rightie, you can shut down one side of the field."
Maxwell's year-on-year economy rate against right-handers backs up those thoughts.
Australia's next opponent, South Africa, fresh off scoring a World Cup record 5-428 against Sri Lanka on Saturday, have plenty of dangerous and in-form right-handers to contend with.
Four of their top five are righties, with captain Temba Bavuma followed by Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen. Maxwell has been studying them.
"I sort of work ego-to-ego," Maxwell said.
"(I) see what they're trying to do and try and get a read on where they're trying to hit.
"I do a lot of homework on the opposition, I watch a lot of games, I know what their strengths and weaknesses are.
"And I know I'm not a big spinner of the ball, but I feel like I'm really accurate in the way I move them around the crease and hopefully build up enough pressure to bring about a wicket or a bad shot. And if it happens at the other end, that's perfect."
The location for the match is the northern Indian city of Lucknow, a three-hour drive from the Nepalese border.
Precious little ODI cricket has been played at the recently erected stadium but the small sample size of matches suggests it is a spin-friendly venue.
Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup fixtures
Warm-up match: No result v Netherlands
Warm-up match: Defeated Pakistan by 14 runs
October 8: Defeated by India by six wickets
October 12: v South Africa, Lucknow (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 16: v Sri Lanka, Lucknow (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 20: v Pakistan, Bengaluru (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 25: v Netherlands, Delhi (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 28: v New Zealand, Dharamsala, 4pm AEDT
November 4: v England, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 7: v Afghanistan, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 11: v Bangladesh, Pune, 4pm AEDT
November 15: First semi-final, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 16: Second semi-final, Kolkata (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 19: Final, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa