Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has shared details of a challenging period with former Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) director of operations, Virender Sehwag, during the IPL 2017 season. In his new book, Maxwell recounts the friction between him and Sehwag, highlighting issues related to team selection, management decisions, and a public fallout that ultimately led to a strained relationship.

Sehwag’s role in team decisions and Maxwell’s discontent

Maxwell, who captained PBKS during the 2017 season, detailed how Sehwag maintained significant control over team selection, sidelining input from the coaching staff. Despite a consensus to involve all coaches in a WhatsApp group for team decisions, Sehwag ignored suggestions and asserted his authority to pick the playing XI unilaterally. This approach, according to Maxwell, contributed to the team’s underwhelming performance that season.

In his book, Maxwell explained, “We thought it might be beneficial to include the coaching staff in a WhatsApp group for team decisions. Everyone was on board, except for Sehwag. In the end, he was the one calling the shots on the starting XI, and this affected the morale both on and off the field.”

Public fallout after loss to rising Pune Super Giants

Maxwell also recounted the aftermath of PBKS’s final game of the season against Rising Pune Super Giants, which they lost by nine wickets. Following the match, Maxwell volunteered to face the media, but Sehwag chose to go instead, using the opportunity to criticize Maxwell publicly, calling him a “big disappointment” and blaming him for failing to take responsibility as captain. Maxwell was surprised by this, especially when he found out that he had been removed from the team’s WhatsApp group soon after the game.

The former PBKS captain also mentioned his private response to Sehwag’s remarks: “I texted him saying how much it hurt to hear those comments. I told him he’d lost a fan in me. He responded, saying he didn’t need a fan like me. That was the last we spoke.”

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Maxwell eventually left PBKS and played for other franchises, including Delhi Capitals in 2018 and later rejoining PBKS in 2020. Since 2021, he has been a part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with his future in the franchise still under consideration.