Former Australia cricketer Mitchell Johnson named Glenn Maxwell as the skipper for the Australian team that he picked for the ICC World Cup 2019 in England. The multi-national extravaganza is scheduled to be played from 30th May to 14th July later this year.

In his column for Perth Now, the 2015 World Cup winner wrote that Maxwell has matured as a cricketer after leading Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL) and in his opinion, the hard-hitting batsman remains Australia’s best bet to lead the five-time champions in England.

“My decision to pick Glenn Maxwell as captain might raise eyebrows. But having played with him both for Australia and in the Indian Premier League, I can say that this polarising cricketer is misunderstood,” Johnson wrote in his column.

“He might not be your typical first-choice captain, though clearly Melbourne Stars have seen something in Maxwell. Leadership has helped him mature, helped to settle him and bring the best out of him.

“More importantly, Maxwell is a cricket tragic who loves the game and thinks deeply about it,” Johnson added.

Johnson and Maxwell played an integral part in Australia’s trophy-winning campaign in the last World Cup at home. Also, the duo spent lot of time in the dressing room together in the Indian Premier League with Mumbai India and Kings XI Punjab.

Johnson also gave an insight as to how Maxwell used to chip in during team meetings and was very vocal in making plans to counter the opposition.

“I spent a lot of time with Maxwell in the IPL at both Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab and he was always very vocal in team meetings particularly with planning such as fielding positions for certain players. He knows opposition players very well and doesn’t forget much,” Johnson wrote.

“He reads the game well and that’s essential for a captain. Maxi is not a leader who will just let things roll on, either. He thinks outside the square. He is 30 now and knows the game inside out.”

Australia squad as chosen by Mitchell Johnson:

Glenn Maxwell (c), Usman Khawaja (vc), Aaron Finch, David Warner, D’Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Peter Handscomb (wk), Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, AJ Tye, Adam Zampa

First Published: Jan 20, 2019 11:48 IST