“We’ve given him opportunity to rest and rehab”: Australia head coach Andrew McDonald on Glenn Maxwell

Melbourne [Australia], January 24 (ANI): With star Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell recuperating after being briefly hospitalised following a fall during a night-out with some teammates, head coach Andrew McDonald on Wednesday said Cricket Australia (CA) and the support staff have allowed him time for proper rest and rehabilitation before he resumes international duties.

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, the head coach and former Aussie international said Maxwell needs to look at himself to move forward.

“I’ve spoken to Glenn, had a good chat with him yesterday around the incident. Him looking after himself needs to be a consideration moving forward. We’ve given him the opportunity to rest and rehab in that period of time and I suppose the lessons for him around that would be to take up his end of the bargain in that space and take care of himself,” McDonald was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

He added that the team management wants Maxwell to keep playing for the Baggy Green and setting new career milestones over the next three to four years.

“We want to see Glenn Maxwell playing cricket for the next three to four years for Australia. Can he get to the next World Cup in 2027 in South Africa? Who knows. But he’s a key player in our white-ball formats. When he is out there we’re a far better team and on the back of that horrific injury that he did have, there’s going to be some management things that are put in place around him,” the coach added.

Calling on the ace batting all-rounder to hold “his end of the bargain”, McDonald added, “But we want Glenn Maxwell playing for Australia for as long as he can. We’re going to have to do our end and Glenn is no doubt going to have to hold up his end of the bargain.”

Earlier, on Friday, Maxwell was hospitalised after a fall while watching former Australia players perform with pub band ‘Six and Out’ in Adelaide, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Maxwell is not part of Australia’s Test squad for the ongoing two-match Test series against the West Indies.

However, he joined the team’s celebration of the first Test win at the Lion Hotel in North Adelaide before accompanying some teammates for a live gig by ‘Six and Out’ at the Governor Hindmarsh, a popular venue for live music events, the Herald reported.