IPL 2021 auction: Glenn Maxwell signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 14.25 crore

Chennai, February 18: Glenn Maxwell might have had a lousy IPL 2020 for Kings XI Punjab, now Punjab Kings. But that did not affect the Australian's money-attracting power in the IPL auction 2021 as Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore went on a bidding war for Maxwell in the auction room on Thursday (February 18).

Punjab Kings had acquired his services for Rs 10.75 crore in the last auction and his lukewarm effort in the IPL 2020 was expected to spoil his chances in the IPL auction. But that was not the case as he sold for even higher price this year to Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 14.25 crore. Perhaps, Maxwell's brilliant effort in the white ball series against India in December last year had an effect on the bidding for him.

It is third highest prices for a foreign player in the IPL after Pat Cummins (Rs 15.5 crore) and Ben Stokes (Rs 14.5 crore). In the IPL 2020, Maxwell had failed to make even one fifty. Maxwell played 13 matches and made a paltry 108 runs at 15.42 and at a strike-rate just above 101. Maxwell had also hit just 9 fours and for someone known for his big hits he did not even one 6 in the IPL 2020.

But the IPL teams think differently about the value Maxwell can bring to the team. Maxwell had also expressed his desire to play for RCB recently stating that he and skipper Virat Kohli get along well on and off the field.

"I get along with Virat pretty well. It'll be certainly nice to work under Virat and will certainly enjoy batting with him - that's for sure," Maxwell said. "It will be awesome to work with him, and he's always been really helpful to me along the journey. Whenever I've caught up with him, he's been brilliant. So, to be able to work with him first hand will be pretty cool," he had said.

The RCB might have been looking at Maxwell as a replacement for Aaron Finch whom they have dropped after a season.