Maxwell Struggling With Poor Form: 3 Concerning Signs For Australia Before T20 World Cup

Glenn Maxwell's form is a worrying sign for AUS [Source: AFP]

After securing a thrilling win in the first T20I, Australia are ready to take on South Africa in the penultimate affair of the three-match series on home soil. While Tim David's batting masterclass grabbed the limelight, the heroic bowling efforts from Josh Hazlewood and Ben Dwarshuis ensured a crucial 1-0 lead for the hosts in Darwin. 

The ongoing South Africa series gives Australia a golden opportunity to fine-tune their skills and form a settled combination before the T20 World Cup. 

Although the emergence of Josh Inglis, Cameron Green and Tim David has been a huge positive for Australia, there are several areas which they need to work on ahead of next year's T20 World Cup, as mentioned below. 

Mitch Marsh's Recent Form

(Mitch Marsh in T20Is since 2024)

• As shown in the above table, Mitchell Marsh's T20I career has been marred by inconsistency of late. Since the start of 2024, the explosive opener averages just over 23 while scoring at a decent rate of 141.82. 
• More importantly, Marsh has failed miserably in T20Is this year, managing just 94 runs across six outings. His lean patch, along with the ouster of Jake Fraser-McGurk following a string of low scores, has aggravated Australia's opening woes, making Travis Head the lone warrior in the post-David Warner era. 
• So, considering Sam Konstas has yet to make his T20I debut, Australia must give some game time to Matthew Short in order to keep him prepared for the T20 World Cup. 

Maxwell's inconsistency and an unsettled lower middle order

(Glenn Maxwell's T20I stats with the bat in 2025)

• Swashbuckling finisher Glenn Maxwell has had a torrid run with the bat in T20Is this year. He has recorded four scores of less than 15 in six outings, letting the team down with a string of middling performances. 
• It's worth mentioning that Maxwell, a renowned spin-hitter, has also struggled against spin bowling of late, averaging just over 18 since 2020. Given that the pitches in India assist the spinners, the decline in Maxwell's spin-hitting prowess has definitely emerged as a concern for Australia ahead of the World Cup. 
• His mediocrity and the retirement of Marcus Stoinis have weakened Australia's lower middle order, with the Men in Yellow depending on the likes of Mitchell Owen for finishing their innings. Maxwell has been an absolute champion in the shortest format, and Australia would definitely want him to regain his mojo ahead of the T20 World Cup. 

Hazlewood's proneness to injuries and lack of quality backups

• Ace Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood has been prone to injuries in recent times. A side strain ruled him out of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well as the Champions Trophy. He also missed several league-stage games due to a shoulder injury. 
• Although Hazlewood seems fully fit now, his recent history with injuries must prompt Australia to keep a quality backup ready for the seamer. Talking about like-for-like replacements, Xavier Bartlett and Sean Abbott are promising, but they have a collective experience of 32 matches in T20I cricket. 
• So, with the T20 World Cup coming up, Australia should ensure ample game time for these pacers in order to deal with Hazlewood's potential injury during the tournament. 

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