Maxwell breaks silence on RCB retentions, reveals chat with management

NEW DELHI: Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who was not retained by his IPL franchise, has described his exit from Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as a "beautiful" parting, following the franchise's decision to retain only three players ahead of the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction.
With the auction scheduled to take place in Jeddah on November 24-25, RCB have chosen to retain Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, and Rajat Patidar, parting ways with Maxwell and other players in a bid to rebuild their squad.
Maxwell, who joined RCB in 2021 and played a pivotal role in their middle order over the last four seasons, shared his thoughts on his release during a conversation on ESPNcricinfo's Around the Wicket. Despite his successful stint with RCB, where he helped them reach the playoffs three times and accumulated 1,266 runs in 52 matches, Maxwell expressed satisfaction with how the decision was handled.

"I got a phone call from Mo Bobat and Andy Flower, and it was actually a really beautiful exit meeting, if that could be possible," 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."
Maxwell praised RCB's professionalism and transparency, remarking that the exit process was handled with grace. "If every team did that, I think it would probably make the relationship smoother. I could not speak high enough of the way they dealt with the whole situation," he added. The all-rounder acknowledged the team's need to focus on building a core group of Indian players to strengthen the franchise's future.

Maxwell, who has delivered some memorable performances for RCB, emphasized that he is open to returning to the franchise if the opportunity arises. "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 look to rebuild their squad ahead of the IPL 2025 season, Maxwell remains one of the standout overseas players who could be targeted by multiple teams in the upcoming auction.