Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has opened up about his difficult experience as captain of Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) during the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. In his upcoming book The Showman, Maxwell reveals the conflict he faced with franchise veteran Virender Sehwag, who held a pivotal role as Director of Cricket Operations. This was a season where off-field decisions significantly impacted the team, Maxwell claims, adding to an already intense atmosphere on the pitch.

Maxwell, who led the franchise for the first time in 2017, shares that he initially felt hopeful after discussing plans with Sehwag. "Sehwag told me that I was going to lead Punjab Kings when we met during the Test series between India and Australia in 2016-17," Maxwell writes. "We discussed the roadmap and how we would take the franchise forward. I thought we were on the same page,” he revealed.

Yet as the season progressed, Maxwell says he felt sidelined in decision-making, as Sehwag held complete control over player selection. “Sehwag didn’t consult anyone while picking the Playing XIs," Maxwell stated, explaining that the coaches, including J Arunkumar, were often confused. "J Arunkumar was the coach on paper as Sehwag was calling all the shots. The coaches and players were confused and even asked me what was happening. It was difficult for me to answer them,” Maxwell shared.

In an effort to foster more collaboration, Maxwell proposed that coaches join a WhatsApp group to discuss lineup strategies. However, Sehwag allegedly dismissed the idea. "I thought of adding coaches to the WhatsApp group to discuss the selection matters and seek everyone’s suggestions. However, Sehwag said that he would only pick the Playing XI and no one else. We were losing on and off the field, with Sehwag taking all the decisions," Maxwell wrote.

As the season continued, Maxwell wanted to address the players directly, but Sehwag stepped in and ultimately removed him from the main team WhatsApp group. "When I went to the team bus, I found that I had been removed from the main WhatsApp group," Maxwell recalled, adding that Sehwag then blamed him for failing to meet his leadership responsibilities.

The fallout reached a point where Maxwell openly expressed his disappointment to Sehwag. “I texted him that he lost a fan in me with the way he behaved and acted against him. Sehwag responded that he don’t need a fan like me. We never spoke again,” he recounted.

"I knew my time was up. I told the owners that they would make a big mistake if Sehwag is allowed to stay with the franchise," Maxwell said, noting that Sehwag left Kings XI Punjab after just one more season.