Mumbai: Former Australia cricketer Dean Jones feels that Glenn Maxwell needs to find a mentor he can trust in order to make better decisions.
Maxwell was left out of the Australia ODI team that beat New Zealand in the first ODI in Sydney on Sunday. He has also been fined and criticised by coach Darren Lehmann and captain Steven Smith for his words about batting behind Victoria captain Matthew Wade.
"I think he really needs a mentor," Dean Jones was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
"I don't want my sportsmen to come out of cookie moulds. I want them to have a personality and be able to say what they want, but I don't think that was the right forum for him to do it. He's got enough charisma in the way he plays. At the top of his game, he's in our team, first pick, and I think he's going to India.”
"I don't think you can be successful in international cricket without having someone you can speak honestly and candidly to. He's a bit of a repeat offender and that's hurting people. Now, is he worth working for? Yep, I think he is, he's got a lot to offer. Ashwin hates bowling to him, that's a fact... but he needs to get some runs."
Jones was surprised at Maxwell's absence from the team for the first ODI against New Zealand, and questioned the batting of Mitchell Marsh at No. 5. "I would've had him in," he said. "I can't for the life of me work out how Mitchell Marsh is batting at No. 5, are you telling me Travis Head's not as good a batsman as (Marsh)? What Travis Head did was terrific, but he still lacks a bit of polish."
"The selectors pick you because they like you as a player. Then, you go to a different coach, a different batting coach... how many coaches do they go through before they play for Australia? You want consistency in people around you to help get you where you want to go and protect you as much as you can. I think it's going to get that way.”
Meanwhile, Shane Warne has also come in support of Glenn Maxwell, saying, “He is a match-winner who should be playing for the team in all three formats.”
"Glenn Maxwell is a super talent and I'd like to see him in Australian colours in all forms of the game," Warne was quoted as saying by news.com.au. "If there's a spot for him, if he's making runs, get him in."
"He's a guy who has got flair and imagination. He's a match-winner," he insisted.
