Sydney, Oct 26: Maxwell, the explosive Australian all-rounder, had a rollercoaster journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL), experiencing the highs of a player-of-the-tournament season with Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) and the lows of intense behind-the-scenes conflicts. In his book The Showman, Maxwell recounts his IPL journey and sheds light on the complex relationship he shared with former teammate and mentor Virender Sehwag. Maxwell’s story begins with a high point in 2014 when he joined Kings XI Punjab. The team topped the table, losing only three games and securing a place in the final after a dominant season, with Maxwell at his best, scoring 552 runs and hitting more sixes than any other player. However, a defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders in the final dashed Punjab’s hopes for a title.Reflecting on this near-perfect season, Maxwell recalls, “We went down in the final over. As close to the perfect season as you get in the IPL, but no trophy.”
Following his impressive performance, Maxwell was promised that the team would be built around him. However, inconsistency soon set in. Punjab’s form plummeted, finishing at the bottom of the table for the next two seasons. Maxwell struggled with his own performance, learning the hard way how to handle the criticism that came with his dip in form. “As a younger player, this was more difficult. I doubted myself, felt the negativity, saw the social media posts,” Maxwell reflects on those challenging times.
By 2017, Maxwell found himself back in Kings XI, ready to redeem his past performances. This time, however, Virender Sehwag, who had taken up a mentor role, informed him he’d also be stepping in as captain. Maxwell welcomed the new responsibility, assuming they were on the same page. However, the relationship soon soured as Sehwag’s influence in team decisions became evident. With coach J Arunkumar in his first season, Sehwag reportedly took on decision-making duties, leading to confusion among players and coaches. The cracks in the setup were apparent, and Maxwell describes the struggle of managing a team in such turmoil, especially when unclear selection processes affected team morale. He recalls an instance when Ishant Sharma, despite being excluded from a game, was included last minute, highlighting the disarray in decision-making.
Sehwag’s hold over the team only grew, and after a disappointing season, tensions between Maxwell and Sehwag reached a peak. Maxwell volunteered to address the media, but Sehwag chose to do it himself. Later, Maxwell was shocked to learn that Sehwag had publicly criticized him, calling him a “big disappointment.” “It was unpleasant, especially when I thought we had parted on good terms,” Maxwell shared.