For all the blow-ups, barneys and banter over the past four months, Glenn Maxwell’s World Cup semi-final will be a case of mate against mate.
From the moment India’s tour of Australia started with an oft-heated Test at Adelaide Oval, there have been no shortage of verbal spats.
However, Maxwell has forged genuine bonds with some of Australia’s sparring partners during the Indian Premier League.
So when the two sides square off at the SCG on Thursday for a place in the World Cup final, Maxwell believes it will be awkward more than acrimonious.
“I get along with them really well,” he said.
“You start to develop real friendships (in the IPL) and you stay in touch with them.
“It makes it hard when you play against them.
“They’re also your mates and you’ve got to … play as if you’re playing your worst enemy.”
Maxwell added his teammates sometimes remind of him that fact.
“I find myself laughing with some of the guys and I get yelled at and told to concentrate and stick to the game,” he said.
David Warner is the one with the most to lose should there be any flare-ups in Sydney.
Warner has already been fined twice during the season and will be suspended for the final if he slips up again.
Maxwell suggested the prospect of India trying to bait the master blaster wasn’t a concern.
“He’s fine, he doesn’t say much. Any more,” Maxwell quipped.
The two sides have shared plenty of laughs over summer, but there have also been some tense moments.
On the field, the line has been regularly straddled and occasionally crossed.
Warner, Mitchell Starc, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma were all sanctioned due to their conduct in the four-Test series.
Off the field, there have been surprisingly frank and fighting words to the press.
“I could see a lot of bowlers sulking out there because it was really hot,” Murali Vijay said in Brisbane, adding insult to injury after Mitch Marsh, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood all left the Gabba in pain.
In Melbourne on Christmas Day, Australia captain Steve Smith observed India had been doing a lot of “whingeing and complaining”.
Kohli rattled Australia’s cage as easily as he scored runs, none more so then when he broke the unwritten covenant of ‘what happens on the field, stays on the field’.
“They were calling me a spoilt brat,” Kohli said after scoring a century at the MCG.
“I said ‘maybe that’s the way I am and I know you guys hate me and I like that’.
“It worked in my favour … I like playing against Australia because it’s very hard for them to stay calm.”
Meanwhile, India will need to overcome a woeful record at the SCG, where they have just one victory from 14 ODIs against Australia.
The defending champions may be undefeated in the World Cup, but they are yet to register a win over Australia this summer.
“Hopefully we can make the most of that … hopefully that is pretty clear in their memories,” Maxwell said.
