Maxwell will be 'more reserved' in Test cricket

Glenn Maxwell might be the very model of the modern cricketer, raised on Twenty20 and thriving on the short format's fast pace, but he insists he has the patience to make it as a Test cricketer as well. On Thursday, Maxwell was named as the main spinning allrounder in Australia's Test squad to tour India, meaning he is likely to earn a baggy green on the trip, and the following day he crunched an unbeaten 51 from 35 balls in Australia's one-day annihilation of West Indies.

Promoted to open the batting Maxwell scored nearly three-quarters of Australia's runs in their tiny chase of 71, racing to the target within the first ten overs. Maxwell's brisk scoring is nothing new to those who have watched him at domestic level over the past few seasons, but he has also managed to average 42 at first-class level and believes his technique can stand up to the challenges of the five-day game.

"I feel like I'm definitely a genuine batsman," Maxwell said in Perth ahead of Sunday's second ODI. "I've done a lot of work on my technique over the last few years. [Victoria coach] Greg Shipperd has been a big believer in my technique and I feel that's shone through in Shield cricket.

"I've played some good Shield innings where I've played technically really good cricket. I'm hoping I can showcase that when the opportunity arises, but yesterday wasn't really the time to do it. I'm sure if I get the chance to play Test cricket I'll probably be a bit more reserved."

Maxwell has spent some time in India in the past, visiting the country in 2010 for a training camp as part of the Centre of Excellence intake, and enjoying a short stint with the Delhi Daredevils in last year's IPL. He said his plan, if he was given the opportunity in Test cricket on the upcoming tour, would be straightforward.

"I've thought about how I'm going to be playing spinners over there," he said. "I've been lucky enough to play over there a little bit, I had the Academy a couple of years ago and had the IPL experience last year. I know my game plan over there is going to be pretty simple, using my feet against the spinners and hopefully that will hold me in good stead."

Although Maxwell is considered a batting allrounder, his offspin has developed over the past few months and the selectors would expect significant overs from him if he was slotting into the Test outfit. Maxwell said he had worked with Shane Warne this summer on the mental side of spin bowling, as well as Ray Bright and Shawn Flegler, and he was confident that the sharp turn expected on the Indian pitches would allow him greater margin for error.

"With the wickets and the way they spin, you can bowl a lot faster over there and really use your pace variations to your advantage," Maxwell said. "In Australia you've got to be a lot more accurate, a lot more consistent in a certain area, where India allows you a lot more margin for error just because of the way it spins."