Glenn Maxwell Announces Shocking Retirement From ODI Cricket

Australia's star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from one-day international (ODI) cricket, ending his brilliant 13-year career in the format. Maxwell played 149 ODIs for Australia and scored nearly 4,000 runs. He was also part of two World Cup-winning teams in 2015 and 2023.

The 36-year-old said the decision was not sudden. He had been thinking about it for a while. He talked about the decision with Australia’s chief selector, George Bailey, during the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Australia lost to India in the semi-final. He has finally decided to take the big decision to quit his ODI career.

Glenn Maxwell Retirement from ODIs

Maxwell has been a high-quality cricketer in ODIs and has played several match-winning knocks for Australia. The all-rounder has the unique ability to win matches from any situation. He bats in the lower order and is known to finish games with a flourish.

“I told him I didn’t think I’d make it to the 2027 World Cup,” Maxwell said on The Final Word podcast. “I think it’s time for younger players to take my spot and get ready for the next World Cup.”
Notably, Maxwell’s body has struggled to adapt to the demands of 50-over cricket. He broke his leg in 2022 and has been managing that injury ever since. He also missed half of IPL 2025 due to a finger injury. But he says his ODI retirement decision came even before that. Maxwell is now the fourth player from Australia’s World Cup 2023-winning squad to retire from ODIs.

Glenn Maxwell retirement came after that of David Warner, Marcus Stoinis, and Steve Smith, as they have already stepped away from the format. This also means that the Australian team will need fresh talent for the ODI World Cup 2027. The upcoming World Cup will be a big test for them.

When Did Glenn Maxwell Think about Retirement?

Maxwell also stated that the recent Champions Trophy has helped him make his final decision. Australia’s first match was on a hard outfield in Lahore. Maxwell said he was sore after the game. The next match against South Africa was washed out, giving him some rest. But the following match against Afghanistan was tough.

“We fielded for 50 overs on a wet, slippery ground. After that, I didn’t feel great,” he said. “If I don’t get perfect conditions, my body just can’t cope with 50-over cricket anymore.”

Maxwell added that he didn’t want to hurt the team’s performance. “It feels like a big task just to get through the 50 overs,” he said. “Then I still had to go and bat. I felt like I was letting the team down.” He made it clear that he will continue playing T20 cricket for Australia, and has not retired from first-class cricket either.

Glenn Maxwell ODI Career

Maxwell is one of the most exciting players in ODI history. His batting strike-rate of 126.70 is the highest ever among batters with over 2,000 ODI runs. Only West Indies star Andre Russell comes close, but with fewer runs.

He has also taken 77 wickets with his off-spin bowling. Maxwell ODI Career has also seen him become a brilliant fielder too. He often changed games with his catches and run-outs. His all-round skills made him a key part of the Australian team for over a decade.

Glenn Maxwell ODI Retirement has made fans recall his most famous innings in the format came during the ODI World Cup 2023. He scored a miraculous double-century against Afghanistan. Australia were in deep trouble, but Maxwell played one of the greatest ODI innings ever.

Maxwell later wrote about it in his book The Showman. “It was like Steve Waugh’s last-ball hundred in the Ashes or Michael Bevan’s final shot against the West Indies,” he wrote.

Glenn Maxwell retirement is a big loss to the Australian ODI team. His power-hitting, clever bowling, and electric fielding will be hard to replace. But his achievements will never be forgotten. He retires with two ODI World Cups (2015 and 2023) and one T20 World Cup (2021) to his name.