Glenn Maxwell breaks silence on RCB retentions

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has described his departure from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as a “beautiful” parting, following the franchise’s decision to retain only three players ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Despite not being kept by RCB, Maxwell expressed his satisfaction with the way the decision was handled, commending the team’s professionalism and transparency.

RCB, which is preparing for the upcoming auction in Jeddah on November 24-25, retained Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, and Rajat Patidar, while parting ways with Maxwell and others as they focus on rebuilding their squad. Maxwell, who joined RCB in 2021 and played a key role in their middle order, reflected on his release during a conversation on ESPNcricinfo’s Around the Wicket. Over his four seasons with RCB, he helped the team reach the playoffs three times and scored 1,266 runs in 52 matches.

Maxwell shared that the exit process was handled with great care. “I got a phone call from Mo Bobat and Andy Flower, and it was actually a really beautiful exit meeting,” Maxwell said. “We ended up talking about the game for about half an hour, discussing their strategy and what they were looking to achieve going forward. I was really happy with that.”

Praising RCB’s transparency and professionalism, Maxwell added, “If every team did that, I think it would probably make the relationship smoother. I could not speak highly enough of the way they dealt with the whole situation.”

Acknowledging the franchise’s need to focus on building a strong core of Indian players for the future, Maxwell expressed his openness to a potential return to RCB. “I wouldn’t say my RCB journey is over,” he said. “I’d certainly love to get back there. It was a great franchise to play for, and I really enjoyed my time.”

As RCB looks to rebuild for IPL 2025, Maxwell remains one of the top overseas players likely to attract attention from other teams in the upcoming auction.