Glenn Maxwell returns to 50-over format with Victoria in Dean Jones Trophy

Glenn Maxwell returns to 50-over format with Victoria in Dean Jones Trophy. (Source – Getty Images)

Australia’s veteran all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is all set to make a 50-over return, but not in national colours. Just months after officially retiring from ODIs, the 36-year-old has been named in Victoria’s squad for their opening two fixtures of the Dean Jones Trophy. The matches, scheduled at Allan Border Field against Queensland on Wednesday and Tasmania on Friday, are Maxwell’s surprise return to the domestic 50-over.

Maxwell had called time on his ODI career earlier this year following the Champions Trophy, ending with 149 matches, 3,990 runs, 77 wickets, and two World Cup triumphs in 2015 and 2023. His last ODI appearance came against India in the Champions Trophy. Despite the retirement, he continues to play in the shorter format and will feature in Australia’s T20I tour of New Zealand. The Victorian stalwart has chosen the Dean Jones Trophy as the platform to fine-tune his game.

Matt Short also makes his 50-over return

Notably, the cricketer has barely featured in List A cricket at the domestic level in recent years. Since March 2022, he has played just one 50-over match for Victoria, which came against New South Wales in October 2023. Meanwhile, he is not the only Australian international making a comeback. Fellow T20I squad member Matt Short also features in Victoria’s 14-player squad. Short has been sidelined since July with a side injury that forced him out of the T20I tour of the West Indies and later the South Africa series. Like Maxwell, he hasn’t played a 50-over fixture since the Champions Trophy.

Victoria will be led initially by all-rounder Will Sutherland in the first game. However, Sutherland will then depart for India to join the Australia A squad, after which veteran batter Peter Handscomb will take over as captain for the second match. The squad also features Marcus Harris, Sam Harper, and Tom Rogers.

Victoria’s opponents, Queensland, will be captained by Marnus Labuschagne. They will miss Usman Khawaja, who is preparing for the Sheffield Shield ahead of the Ashes, while bowlers Xavier Bartlett and Mark Steketee are also unavailable.

Victoria squad: