Gold Coast, Australia – Glenn Maxwell's struggles against Varun Chakravarthy continued in the fourth T20I at Carrara Oval, with the Indian spinner dismissing the Australian all-rounder for the sixth time in nine T20 encounters. The dismissal has sparked reactions, with former Indian captain Kris Srikkanth remarking that Maxwell "shakes in his boots" when Chakravarthy comes on to bowl, adding that the spinner "gobbles him up like a piece of cake".
Maxwell, who was returning to international cricket after recovering from a fractured wrist sustained during a net session in New Zealand, entered the match with hopes of contributing significantly to Australia's run chase. However, his innings was cut short as he managed only 2 runs off 4 balls before falling victim to Chakravarthy's guile.
The incident occurred in the 15th over of the match. Chakravarthy delivered a googly pitched on a length outside off stump. Maxwell attempted to create room and hit the ball through the off-side, but the ball spun back sharply, eluding his bat and crashing into the stumps.
Chakravarthy has now dismissed Maxwell six times in nine T20 innings, conceding just 50 runs off 34 balls. This equates to Maxwell averaging just 8.33 against Chakravarthy in T20s. In their previous encounters in the IPL, Chakravarthy has also had the upper hand. In seven IPL innings, the mystery spinner has dismissed Maxwell four times. Maxwell has managed 46 runs off 31 balls against Chakravarthy in the IPL, maintaining a healthy strike rate of 148.38, but his average stands at just 11.50.
Maxwell's vulnerability against Chakravarthy has become a talking point among cricket analysts and fans alike. Srikkanth's comments highlight the perceived psychological edge that Chakravarthy seems to hold over the Australian batsman. "Glenn Maxwell shakes in his boots whenever Varun Chakaravarthy comes on to bowl," Srikkanth said. "Varun picks up certain batters like a rabbit. Especially when he sees Maxwell, he gobbles him up like a piece of cake".
The pressure is mounting on Maxwell to find a way to counter Chakravarthy's threat, especially with the T20 World Cup approaching. Maxwell's recent form has been inconsistent. In the 2025 IPL season, he had a forgettable run, scoring just 93 runs in his last 14 innings, averaging 6.64.
The fourth T20I also saw India's captain, Suryakumar Yadav, welcome the challenge of batting first, noting the conditions resembled those of the subcontinent. India maintained the same playing XI for the match. Meanwhile, Australian captain Mitchell Marsh expressed his team's eagerness to test themselves in unfamiliar conditions.
