Glenn Maxwell Retires From International Cricket With One Big Regret

Glenn Maxwell has called time on his international career, and the Big Show won’t get the farewell he wanted. The 38-year-old all-rounder has retired from all international cricket after being left out of Australia’s T20I squad for England, ending a 15-year journey full of fireworks, World Cups and one unforgettable double century.

A Farewell Game That Never Came

Maxwell revealed his decision on The Final Word podcast. He is also stepping away from 50-over cricket for Victoria.

The trigger was his omission from Australia’s squad for the five-game T20I series against England, which opens at the MCG on November 21. That is the heart of his one regret.

“There was, I suppose, a small hope or a discussion that I might have been able to get a send-off game at the MCG, but I can completely understand the direction they’re going with this squad.”

Eyes on 2028 and the Next Generation

Maxwell accepts the logic behind the call. Australia expect plenty of change over the next 12 to 24 months, with the 2028 Olympics on the horizon.

He believes young players need exposure to international pressure that a BBL fixture can’t always provide. In his words, facing a battle-hardened England side will be an extremely good experience for them.

The Road to the Decision

This was no sudden call. Maxwell had already retired from ODI cricket in June 2025 after being moved out of the picture for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

His last international appearance came at the 2026 T20 World Cup, where Australia failed to reach the Super Eights after losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Maxwell scored just 62 runs from three innings.

Selectors and team management also told him his place would be decided series by series. He said the talks were open-ended and carried no pressure, so both sides left the door open.

Form Under the Microscope

The numbers made the picture clear. Maxwell was dismissed for fewer than 25 in nine of his 12 T20I innings across 2025 and 2026.

The Body Says Enough

Maxwell admitted that retiring as an Olympian crossed his mind in the months after the T20 World Cup. But fitness became the deciding factor.

“The last four years have really tested my resilience of how hard I can bounce back from a setback and keep trying to get up and play an international series.”

Back-to-back games, he said, started to wear him down. With his injury history, it gets harder to get up and go again.

Franchise Life Rolls On

Maxwell is not leaving the game. He will still captain the Melbourne Stars, who are yet to win a title in the BBL’s 15-year history, though he needs a knee injection to do so.

He is also contracted to Major League Cricket in the USA and the European T20 Premier League. His Stars deal reportedly runs through the 2027-28 season.

Don’t expect any new leagues to be added. As Maxwell put it, what he has now is more than enough to keep him busy.

A Legacy Built on Chaos and Brilliance

Maxwell leaves with a Test century in India and a world-best five T20I hundreds, a record he shares with Rohit Sharma. He was also part of Australia’s World Cup-winning teams in 2015, 2021 and 2023.

Then there is Mumbai. Almost unable to walk because of crippling cramp, he slashed and biffed his way to an unlikely match-winning 201* against Afghanistan in 2023, finishing with a flat-footed six over square leg. Many call it the greatest innings in World Cup history.

The Unfinished Chapter

Some argue he was an unfulfilled talent, a player whose highlights outshone his consistency. Even so, few have matched his ability to flip a game in a handful of overs.

The MCG send-off may never happen. But the memories of the Big Show are already locked in.