IPL 2022: Available for selection, RCB all rounder Maxwell says, "Glad I look fit, I don't exactly feel it"

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Bengaluru, April 7: Having joined the squad late, Australia's star all rounder Glenn Maxwell will be available for selection from Royal Challengers Bangalore's game against Mumbai Indians on Saturday (April 9).

After losing their high-scoring opener to Punjab Kings, Challengers, being led by new skipper Faf du Plessis, have won two matches on the trot. In the fourth match of the ongoing IPL season, RCB will take on struggling Mumbai Indians, who are yet to register a win this season.

Heading into the game against five-time champions Mumbai, the Bangalore franchise will be bolstered with the availability of all rounder Maxwell. Having missed the first three games, the Australian all rounder, who had been retained by RCB, speaking on RCB Bold diaries, opened up on the new recruits, his fitness levels and on new skipper Faf du Plessis.

Speaking exclusively on RCB Bold Diaries, RCB all-rounder Glenn Maxwell opened up about his preparations ahead of his first match of this season. "I'm glad I look fit, I don't know. I don't exactly feel it. I haven't done much over the last few weeks. I was looking forward to getting over here.

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"I know I had a week from when I landed to the first game that I was playing, so, I wanted to do that as preparation time and know that I can get myself up to be match ready for that first game. I just can't wait for the night to get back out there with the guys."

The Australian all rounder also opened about being new speaker Faf du Plessis and the current RCB squad. "I've had a few messages before the tournament. I think I was probably more focussed on my wedding sort of before that. Knowing obviously that he was going to be the captain, I was in touch with the coaches right throughout the auction, and that process as well. (I) still wanted to be heavily involved in moulding our team going forward. I think that was a big part of the three guys that were retained.

"We had to have those guys involved to make sure we had the right balance going forward with that squad and we are really happy with the squad that we have accumulated," Maxwell said.

Faf's got the respect of everyone in the room: Maxwell

"We're really happy with Faf (du Plessis) at the helm. We think he's going to do a great job for the franchise and even the way he started, you can tell he's got the respect of everyone in the room. Not only does he lead by example, with his actions, but he also performs really well. To have a guy of his quality and caper up the top of the order is something that's great for the franchise. And hopefully, the senior guys around can help him out as well.

"So, it's not just him shouldering all that workload we'd potentially have seen in the previous years at RCB. To have, I suppose, a solid leadership group behind him to sort of feel like it's not just him out there having to shoulder all the load. Hopefully, we can help him out at different stages. But we're very fortunate with the squad that we've got. We believe it's a winning squad."

RCB all-rounder Maxwell spoke about which IPL player excites him, "I've been watching, and I think Anuj Rawat our own (youngster), he's very exciting. Who I have been really excited by actually, was one of the old fellas, Dinesh Karthik.

"He's been awesome. Just come in great form. Old fella's still doing it. I played with him in 2013 in Mumbai. Nine years later, we find ourselves back in the same change room. So, to see him go really well, and start well for us is awesome for us. We love having that depth in our batting order and he certainly gives it to us," signed off Maxwell.

RCB will take on Rohit Sharma-led MI on Saturday (April 9) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.