Look after your body, McDonald warns Glenn Maxwell

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has told Glenn Maxwell he needs to better look after himself to extend his international career, after his hospitalisation.

ANDREW MCDONALD.
ANDREW MCDONALD. Picture: Joe Allison/Getty Images

Glenn Maxwell must uphold his end of the bargain and look after his body if he wants to continue to play for Australia, Andrew McDonald says.

McDonald on Wednesday labelled Maxwell's hospitalisation in Adelaide last week as "an honest mistake" after a hot day playing golf followed by drinks.

But Australia's head coach also made clear Maxwell has standards to uphold in relation to his health and fitness.

The 35-year-old still has rods stabilising his left leg, which he broke last summer while at a friend's party.

The injury has not stopped him performing at his freakish best, but has caused issues around his comfort and fitness.

Officials had spoken for several months about resting Maxwell from the one-day squad squad to face West Indies, and agreed to do so to protect his fitness after the Big Bash League campaign.

That gave Maxwell the freedom to be in Adelaide for last week's golf event, after which he ended up in an ambulance having passed out backstage at a Six & Out gig.

"I've spoken to Glenn and had a good chat with him yesterday around the incident," McDonald said on SEN.

"Him looking after himself needs to be a consideration moving forward.

"We are giving him the opportunity to rest and rehab in that period of time and the lessons for him around that would be to take up his end of the bargain in that space and take care of himself.

"We want to see Glenn Maxwell playing cricket for the next three to four years for Australia. Can he get to the next World Cup in 2027? Who knows?

"We're going to do our end and Glenn's going to have to pull up his end of that bargain."

Maxwell is not facing any sanction over his night out, which ended with him being picked up from the emergency room by his manager Ben Tippett.

Australia's team staff have spoken to the allrounder to check for concussions, injuries and his overall wellbeing, but there is no integrity unit investigation.

It means he is free to play in the three-match Twenty20 series against West Indies next month, the start of the build up to this year's World Cup in the format.

"All the information he's given, he's had a few drinks and the night has ended the way that it did," McDonald said.

"That's less than ideal from his perspective and our perspective, and it's an honest mistake.

"He needs to have a look at what he's doing at his end and if it's the right thing to be doing, but thankfully there's no harm out of it and he's well now."