Glenn Maxwell ignores Rohit Sharma as he picks favourite players from each format (Source: AFP)
Former Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has joined the growing list of cricketers and analysts naming their favourite players across the three international formats. Speaking on the Keepin' It Cricket YouTube channel, Maxwell picked three star names for ODI, T20 and Test cricket.
Maxwell named Virat Kohli as his best ODI batter, Andre Russell as his choice for T20 cricket, and Steve Smith as his favourite Test batter. One name that was missing but gained attention was that of Rohit Sharma.
Glenn Maxwell Names His Ex-RCB Teammate Virat Kohli As 'Greatest' ODI Player
It is important to note that Glenn Maxwell and Virat Kohli played together in RCB in the IPL. The former RCB star player picked Virat Kohli when asked about the best player he has seen in ODI cricket. The Australian all-rounder mentioned Kohli's exceptional ability to find gaps and control the field.
“The best I ever saw in one-day cricket was Kohli,” Maxwell said.
Why Virat Kohli In ODIs Ahead of Rohit Sharma?
It is worth noting that Virat Kohli has consistently produced runs across different conditions and has developed a reputation as one of the greatest ODI batters in cricket history. Taking a look at his numbers, he has made 14,941 runs in 314 ODI matches at an average of 58.59 and a strike rate of 93.95.
He has also registered 54 centuries and 79 half-centuries, and has even surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's previous record of 49 ODI hundreds.
Maxwell also mentioned that Virat’s ability to play against Australia. He added - "Some of the innings he’s played against us have been ridiculous. He’s just got more time. He’s able to put the ball where he wants in the field and, yeah, just a different level."
So, looking at his record against Australia is also impressive. In 53 ODIs, Kohli has scored 2,525 runs at an average of 53.72, with a strike rate of 93.21 and eight centuries.
Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, also has an outstanding record against Australia, having scored 2,609 runs in 49 matches at an average of 59.30 and a strike rate of 95.11, including nine centuries.
However, one thing that needs to be mentioned here is that Kohli's overall consistency and fitness could be a factor in the difference compared to Rohit Sharma.
Also Read: Glenn Maxwell Fined In ETPL 2026
Glenn Maxwell Picks Andre Russell As T20 Favourite
For T20 cricket, Maxwell selected West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell. According to Maxwell, Russell's combination of explosive batting, fast bowling and fielding made him an almost complete T20 cricketer.
“T20, it’s probably hard to go past someone like Andre Russell or someone like that,” Maxwell said. “Just their power is ridiculous. If they get going, you can’t stop them. They hit the ball so hard and far.”
“To back that up, he was bowling 140ks and fielding in the hot spots. He was just literally the perfect cricketer.”
Looking at his T20 numbers, Russell has played 607 matches and made 9919 runs at an average of 26.03 and strike rate of 166.70. The fact that cannot be avoided is that he has also enjoyed enormous success in franchise cricket like IPL, CPL, MLC, SA20, ILT20, BPL, BBL, The Hundred, among others.
Watch The Video Here - Glenn Maxwell picks his all-time favourite players
- ODI - Virat Kohli
- T20 - Andre Russell
- Tests - Steve Smith
Maxwell Picks Steve Smith As The GOAT of Test Cricket
For Test cricket, Maxwell chose his Australian teammate Steve Smith. He said it was difficult to look beyond Smith when selecting the best Test batter.
"And Test cricket, it’s probably hard. I reckon it’s hard to go past Smudge,” Maxwell said.
Smith has established himself as one of the leading Test batters of his generation. He has scored more than 10,000 Test runs, including 37 centuries and 45 half-centuries.
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