Glenn Maxwell has never been a player who goes unnoticed. For more than a decade, the Australian all-rounder lit up the Indian Premier League with his flair, power, and theatre. But the Maxwell story has taken a tough turn. After fracturing his finger during the 2025 IPL season and delivering back-to-back poor campaigns, the “Big Show” has now opted out of IPL 2026. And for the first time since 2012, his name was missing from the auction list.
A Fall No One Saw Coming
Maxwell’s IPL 2025 was a season he and his fans would want to forget. He scored only 48 runs in 7 matches, averaging just 8, and managed 4 wickets with the ball before the finger injury took him out of the tournament. By then, the damage was already done. Punjab Kings, who had picked him up for Rs 4.20 crore, released him before the mini-auction.
This wasn’t a one-season slump either. His 2024 campaign was even worse with the bat 52 runs in 10 matches at an average of 5.78. For a player known for changing matches in a matter of balls, these numbers were unrecognizable.
The Rise Was Spectacular… and So Was the Decline
Maxwell entered the IPL in 2012 and quickly built a reputation as one of the most dangerous hitters. His best seasons, 2014 (552 runs) and 2021 (513 runs), showcased a player who could dominate any bowling attack. Those were the years when “Big Show” looked unstoppable reverse sweeps, switch-hits, and fearless hitting straight into the stands.
But since 2021, the spark slowly started fading. His averages dipped, his strike rate remained high but without the volume of runs, and the consistency that once defined him simply disappeared.
Maxwell’s IPL Batting stats:
| Season | M | R | HS | Avg | S/R | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 48 | 30 | 8.00 | 97.96 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 52 | 28 | 5.78 | 120.93 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| 2023 | 14 | 400 | 77 | 33.33 | 183.49 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 31 |
| 2022 | 13 | 301 | 55 | 27.36 | 169.10 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 15 |
| 2021 | 15 | 513 | 78 | 42.75 | 144.10 | 0 | 6 | 48 | 21 |
| 2020 | 13 | 108 | 32 | 15.42 | 101.88 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2018 | 12 | 169 | 47 | 14.08 | 140.83 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 9 |
| 2017 | 14 | 310 | 47 | 31.00 | 173.18 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 26 |
| 2016 | 11 | 179 | 68 | 19.88 | 144.35 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 8 |
| 2015 | 11 | 145 | 43 | 13.18 | 129.46 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 8 |
| 2014 | 16 | 552 | 95 | 34.50 | 187.75 | 0 | 4 | 48 | 36 |
| 2013 | 3 | 36 | 23 | 18.00 | 133.33 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2012 | 2 | 6 | 3* | 6.00 | 54.54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Maxwell’s IPL Bowling stats:
| Season | M | Ovr | Runs | Wkts | Avg | Eco | BBF | 4w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 13 | 110 | 4 | 27.50 | 8.46 | 1/5 | 0 |
| 2024 | 10 | 16 | 129 | 6 | 21.50 | 8.06 | 2/23 | 0 |
| 2023 | 14 | 10.2 | 94 | 3 | 31.33 | 9.10 | 1/3 | 0 |
| 2022 | 13 | 24 | 165 | 6 | 27.50 | 6.88 | 2/22 | 0 |
| 2021 | 15 | 16 | 135 | 3 | 45.00 | 8.43 | 2/23 | 0 |
| 2020 | 13 | 21 | 169 | 3 | 56.33 | 8.04 | 1/10 | 0 |
| 2018 | 12 | 16 | 132 | 5 | 26.40 | 8.25 | 2/22 | 0 |
| 2017 | 14 | 19 | 125 | 7 | 17.85 | 6.57 | 2/15 | 0 |
| 2016 | 11 | 9 | 80 | 0 | — | 8.88 | 0/3 | 0 |
| 2015 | 11 | 10 | 97 | 2 | 48.50 | 9.70 | 1/5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 16 | 11 | 132 | 1 | 132.00 | 12.00 | 1/21 | 0 |
| 2013 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 0 | — | 11.50 | 0/5 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 1 | 22.00 | 7.33 | 1/10 | 0 |
A Hefty Paycheck, A Heavy Expectation
Despite inconsistent returns, Maxwell remained one of the IPL’s highest-paid overseas stars. Over 13 seasons, he earned a jaw-dropping Rs 107.20 crore, a number very few foreign players have come close to. A big chunk of that came from Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
RCB went all-in on him, shelling out Rs 14.25 crore in 2021, his highest-ever salary, and Rs 47.25 crore over four seasons. They wanted Maxwell the match-winner, the showman, the game-changer. He delivered in 2021 and 2023, but the downward curve after that was hard to ignore. So overall in an average, every single run costs around Rs 3,80,277 Lakhs.
The Numbers Says a Harsh Picture
Here’s the simple truth, Maxwell’s batting after 2021 dramatically declined. His last three seasons tell the story clearly:
2023: 400 runs, 5 fifties
2024: 52 runs
2025: 48 runs
With the ball too, he never quite became the all-rounder teams hoped he would be. He offered occasional wickets, but nothing game-breaking. Age, form, fitness, and pressure all seemed to catch up at once.
Was This Exit Coming?
Being dropped by RCB before IPL 2025 and then being released by Punjab Kings after a poor season hinted at what was coming. Maxwell opting out of IPL 2026 feels like a player stepping back to reassess his game and his future.
He’s still a superstar in world cricket, but the IPL demands a level of consistency and durability that Maxwell hasn’t been able to offer in recent years.
Is This the End of the Big Show in IPL?
Glenn Maxwell gave the IPL some of its wildest innings. For a few years, he was the league’s ultimate entertainer. But T20 cricket moves fast, and even the most explosive players can struggle to keep up.
From being Australia’s “Big Show” to becoming IPL’s “big zero” in the last couple of seasons, Maxwell’s journey has been a roller coaster. Whether the story ends here or a new chapter awaits, we’ll just have to wait and watch.
Also Read: Glenn Maxwell to retire from IPL? Australia’s star player takes big step ahead of mini-auction
