Glenn Maxwell, the big-hitting all-rounder from Australia, will be taking an indefinite break from the IPL due to struggling with form while playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Maxwell has only managed to score 32 runs in six games and was absent during the team's latest defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, which resulted in a record run-fest.
Faf du Plessis's side suffered their sixth defeat in seven matches, leaving them at the bottom of the 10-team table in Bengaluru.
After not playing in his side's 25-run defeat, 35-year-old Maxwell stated that it is a good time for him to take a mental and physical break to get his body in shape.
He hopes to be able to make an impact if he is required to play during the tournament.
Maxwell, who will be crucial for Australia at the T20 World Cup in June, was one of the first cricketers to acknowledge mental health issues and took a break from international cricket in 2019.
He stated on Monday that it was an effortless decision to step aside for the time being:
“I went to Faf and the coaches after the last game and said I felt it was probably time we tried someone else.”
Nicknamed 'Mad Max' and 'The Big Show' for his aggressive batting and unorthodox strokeplay, Maxwell takes great pride in his performance and puts in a lot of hard work behind the scenes to prepare for every game.
However, given that his body is on the wrong side of 30, the physical and mental toll has worn him down a bit.
Hyderabad scored 287-3 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, the highest IPL total, and hit 22 sixes, the most in an IPL innings.