IPL 2021: 'Was expected to go for big shots from ball one in previous teams,' says RCB's Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell has put the horrors of the last season of the Indian Premier League with the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) all behind as he started a new journey in red and gold of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) with two good scores helping his side win both games in the 2021 edition.

Maxwell, who has gone through a lean patch in the IPL for a long period of time was released by the Kings XI Punjab after his poor returns for the side, scoring just 108 runs in 13 innings with a highest score of 32 runs where he didn't hit a single six throughout the tournament. However, the change in role and responsibility has worked wonders for the swashbuckling all-rounder with the RCB, who have given him a specific role at No  4, with AB de Villiers still to come after him in the line-up.

Asked about his good form for the RCB after he was adjudged the 'Player of the Match' for his innings of 59 runs off 41 balls against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Maxwell said, "Yeah it's been a nice start. Obviously, a new franchise for me this year, they gave me a pretty specific role and to start like this has been really nice but to contribute to two wins is probably been the most satisfying thing."

Asked about what that specific role is, that he has been asked to perform for the side, the 32-year old said, "It's been nice to have some batters behind you, having AB behind you in the order gives you a bit more freedom to play your shots, gives me a bit of time to get myself in. That's a very similar role that I play in the Australian cricket team and the support staff have been unbelievable in backing me this year, so that's been great," he said.

In the two innings for RCB, Maxwell has scored 98 runs at a strike rate of 142. Asked if there's anything different in his time with RCB as compared to his previous teams, Maxwell said, "Probably having those guys behind me is just a nice little luxury.

"A lot of the times, I'd get pushed a little bit deeper to sort of expect to go from ball one and it's probably not a role that I'm very good at," he added.

Maxwell was picked up by the Bangalore franchise for a whopping amount of INR 14.25 crores and certainly has been repaying the team management's faith at the start of the 14th edition.