RCB batting coach McKenzie backs Maxwell to come out of lean run

Glenn Maxwell has played just six balls across two matches to make three runs in this IPL, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach Neil McKenzie on Thursday hoped the Australian all-rounder to hit his straps sooner than later.

Maxwell fell for a first-ball duck against Chennai Super Kings while a return to Chinnaswamy Stadium, a favourite hunting place of his, too did not offer any respite.

“You know, that’s cricket. It’s up and down. It’s only two games. We know with Maxie, he’s going to win us a couple of games. “He has made a slower start to the tournament, but we know that he’s going to win games for us later on in the tournament,” McKenzie said in the pre-match press conference.

“It’s not a case of when that will happen. You’re still in early stages (of IPL). In the high-octane T20 cricket, you know, your fortunes change pretty quickly, you know, they change overnight,” he added.

The former South African batsman was also delighted to see premier batter Virat Kohli making a match-winning fifty against Punjab here a couple of days ago.

“Virat has been an unbelievable performer for so long. It was a privilege to sit and watch (his fifty). I think just the way he sums up conditions, the way he sort of knows who’s going to bowl what…he has been one of our if not the best batter for a very long time.

“So, it was really good to see him hitting the ground running and play a really important knock for the side after that two months of no cricket. So, you can always trust him to put the team first,” said McKenzie.

McKenzie said the good outings of Indian batters like Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat and Mahipal Lomror have given RCB a lot more confidence and flexibility, without taking the responsibility away from top-order players.