Sky's the limit for Mad Maxi

‘Yes Dad, he was not to be stopped tonight. I have no regrets over not watching him at Wankhede any longer," read a text message on Sambuddha Chakraborty's phone, minutes after Glenn Maxwell pulled off another stunning one-man Houdini Act to carry Australia to a nerve-wracking five-wicket victory over India in the third T20I on Tuesday.

"Cracking game beta. A master class by the Aussies," pat came the response.

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Maxwell's brutal 104 off 48 balls (8x4, 8x6) helped the visitors surge past India's massive 222 for three, built around Ruturaj Gaikwad's maiden international century, a 57-ball 123, in the last ball of the match. In the process of making 225 for five, the newly-crowned World Cup champions also cut India's lead to 2-1 in the five-match series.

One of the fittest all-rounders in modern-day cricket? The most patient, fearless, indomitable, atypical batsman in recent times? The ultimate game-changer? Maxwell may well tick all those boxes. What's not to love about him?

When he strides out to bat, it is with the air of a man who owns the entire arena. The schoolboy smile, the eyes a gentle European blue, the physique as menacing as plastic cutlery. Behind such frail and uncommonly deceptive features, lie an all-consuming, omnipotent force that has declaimed Australia's standing at the top of the pile.

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Sambuddha, an ardent fan of the 35-year-old, has not missed any of Australia's matches in the World Cup, except for the Afghanistan tie at Wankhede. His father, Dwaipayan, was in the hospital then for a stem cell transplant in what he hoped would be the final part of ‘this chapter of his battle' with acute myeloid leukemia.

"That was a tough day for me but also a day where I learned so much about life and other things. Dad was hospitalised for four months and seeing him suffer in the operating room, Mom and I nearly died a little each minute. Back in the hospital, I had tears in my eyes while watching him (Maxwell) battle it out on the field in the face of severe cramping. That's why I love the game and this man. That day, he taught us to never give up hope," he recalled.

Maxwell's power-packed innings on Tuesday was a quick reminder of his epic double hundred against Afghanistan in the World Cup when he completed a miraculous chase from 91-7.

"That was the only day I missed watching him live in this World Cup. Not that I had a choice. But it was still so worth it. The next morning after Dad woke up, I showed him the highlights of his innings and he was overjoyed. He could not join me here but we were on a video call right from when he walked out to bat. It feels magical to witness something like this," said Sambuddha.

Maxwell's century against India might not have been that big in volume or on occasion but it gave a meek Australian side a foothold in the series. With 21 runs required off the last over, Matthew Wade's men were always in with a chance through Maxwell's presence, who time and again toyed with speedster Prasidh Krishna's nerves.

‘It was always going to take our best, and one of the best players that's ever played T20s for Australia played his 100th game and got a hundred, so pretty special for him' were the words of a proud skipper shortly after the match.

Before Maxwell unleashed absolute carnage, Australia lost three wickets for 21 runs to reel at 68 for three, following which Travis Head gave them a quick start with 35 off 18 balls but Avesh Khan finally had his measure with a slow ball. An Australian triumph seemed an outside possibility till the penultimate over as the equation read 43 runs from 12 balls on the scoreboard. But as Sambuddha remarked, ‘Maxi hai toh possible hai (if Maxwell is at the crease, anything is possible)'.

Seemingly never fazed, Maxwell, resembling a knight in shining armour, once more carried a fragile Australian batting on his slim shoulders. For sure, as long as cricket is celebrated, he will be hailed among the finest.