MELBOURNE: Glenn Maxwell announced his retirement from international cricket Tuesday after being overlooked for Australia's upcoming Twenty20 series against England.
The 38-year-old, who had not played a Test since 2017, ended his one-day international career last year but had kept the door open for T20 cricket.
He had not been selected since the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in February, with selectors passing over him for a series against Bangladesh in June. Maxwell was again left out of the squad named Monday to face England in November, with younger players preferred.
"A little bit sad and a little bit inevitable too, but I'm announcing my retirement from international cricket," Maxwell said on the Final Word podcast.
He said he had held numerous discussions with selectors before and after the T20 World Cup, describing the talks as "pretty open-ended."
"There wasn't any pressure from (Australia team management), and we decided to sort of leave the door open," Maxwell said. "There were a couple of series that were coming up (in which) they were going to look to the future, and we saw that in Bangladesh with guys getting their opportunity and performing really well."
Maxwell acknowledged he had held a small hope of a farewell game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against England.
"But I can completely understand the direction they're going with this squad," he said.
Maxwell played 130 T20 internationals, scoring 2,897 runs at a strike rate of 154.42, leaving as Australia's third-highest run-scorer in the format behind David Warner and Aaron Finch. He played 149 ODIs, scoring 3,990 runs, and seven Tests.
Maxwell also retired from first-class cricket with Victoria but will continue playing for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.
"I'm grateful for the time I was able to play for my country," he said. "If you had offered me that career when I first walked into the Victoria change rooms in 2009-ish, I would have bitten your hand off."
