The sport of cricket has long produced incredible talents, the likes of which not only carry their respective teams to victory but serve as a source of inspiration for younger generations coming up into the sport. These are the players who draw crowds to stadiums as they sit and watch a day of play unfold in excitement, players whose technique is studied by emerging talents looking to learn from the best, and who become household names around the world. For Glenn Maxwell, his explosive power and all-round capabilities on the field saw him become the leading Twenty20 player in the world, even surpassing Chris Gayle. But while he’s certainly enjoyed incredible success, Maxwell has also endured great hardships and his recent horror leg break saw the Twenty20 and ODI player almost give up the sport entirely.
In a recent interview on Fox Cricket, Maxwell opened up about shattering his left fibula and rupturing all the ligaments on top of his foot during a freak backyard accident at a friend’s birthday party late last year. Following the operation, he lost five kilograms in two weeks and feared his cricketing days were over as he had to learn to walk again.
“That first week in hospital was pretty difficult…I did think that I might not play cricket again. There were those thoughts while I was in hospital looking at my leg because it looked like a balloon,” explained Maxwell. “The next week I was at home after I got back from the hospital and I thought it was going to be a lot easier at home. (But) not having the nurses there and not having the constant pain medication … that was probably the most pain I’ve ever been in. Just trying to get around the house was awful.”
As Maxwell’s surgeons and doctors explained, a full recovery could be possible if he remained diligent with his rehab program and the cricket star certainly put in the work, much like he would his training. It’s something Maxwell says he’s “really proud” of, as he worked hard to maintain a positive attitude even despite those moments of great pain as he worked to mentally and physically get back on his feet.
“I had to teach myself how to walk, which was pretty bizarre because the actual joint was so swollen and tight that it was basically like having two blocks of wood nailed together.”
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“There was no real movement, no flexion at all. I had to teach myself how to get the courage to walk forward over the top of my foot and go heel to toe. Being in a pool and doing all that rehab has been really helpful.”
Rather than consider his career being over, Maxwell turned his concerns into “ultra-positives.” “I did a few video calls and talked to a bunch of people … as soon as I could start to move and walk a little bit, every day I was making progress – so I was basically just holding onto the fact I was making progress,” he said. “I started looking forward, thinking: ‘You know what? I’m going to make this recovery the best possible recovery possible. I’m going to come back early and stronger than ever.’”
Maxwell went on to add: “I started to try and use it as a motivation factor instead of: ‘Oh no why has this happened to me?’ I tried to turn it around and think about how I can finish the back-end of my career and be the fittest I’ve been, healthiest and most motivated.”
While it’s unclear whether Maxwell will play in the upcoming Test tour of India, he’s continuing to put in the work to see his fitness and strength return and ensure he’s in the best shape for selection. As Maxwell explains, he’s “done everything in my power to try and get ready for it and get myself back playing.”
“I’m really proud of how much work I’ve put in day and night. I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights icing and trying to get myself ready, nights sleeping on the couch with pillows all around my foot and ice packs shoved into my boot.”
