Cricket in India is a religion and top cricketers are celebrated more than anyone in this country. Virat Kohli is one of the Indian cricket icons who have a huge fan-following. The fans at times even cross certain boundaries to meet or even get a glimpse of the superstar. However, this is just one side of the story. How does it make Kohli or other such stars feel? Australia star and former Royal Challengers Benguluru player Glenn Maxwell has shared a glimpse of how it is for players like Kohli to face such fans.

Maxwell recalled an incident in which he and Kohli were hounded by fans when the duo was moving towards the RCB team hotel while returning from practice. Maxwell revealed that the group of Kohli fans, after spotting the Indian star, went so crazy to get his attention that they made the situation really tough for him.

“We had a training session where me and him went reasonably early to training, got all our stuff done. I think it was an optional session, so we batted together, batted for a while, finished up and said, ‘Oh we can get a car back to the hotel.’ We jumped in a car and immediately alarm bells were going off in my head that this is probably not a good idea. We had security in the front seat of the car and a car behind us full of police,” Maxwell told LISTNR’s podcast.

“As we were driving out of Chinnaswamy Stadium, people noticed that Virat is in the car and just started punching on the windows, like beating up his car. They were trying to get his attention and get him to look at them. I was surprised the car didn’t have dents all over it. This was so uncomfortable. I was just looking at him and I was like, ‘How do you deal with this on a day-to-day basis and he sort of shrugged off like it’s what I go through. It’s a scary way for him to live,” he added.

Australia’s star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has received a massive praise from India stalwart Virat Kohli. In the foreword section of Maxwell’s recently-released autobiography ‘The Showman’, Kohli hailed him for his historic double century against Afghanistan in a 2023 Cricket World Cup match. Chasing a target of 292 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Australia were tottering at 91 for 7 at one stage. Afghanistan could have sensed victory, but Maxwell’s terrific 201 not out pulled off an incredible victory for the chasing team. The Australian star played the knock despite fighting a cramp and that made the innings all more special.

“The whole cricket world was glued to those final stages as he kept bombing sixes on one leg without a helmet too. Going down time and again with cramp, limping for singles – it was compelling drama and so Maxi. When it was over, I texted him along those lines: that he is a freak and a madman. In my view, he is the only player in the world capable of doing what he did. Concluding with such a milestone was perfect, capping an unparalleled knock,” Virat Kohli wrote.

“The game was moving so quickly in Afghanistan’s direction and knowing their spinners, it would get no easier. Checking in as he and Pat Cummins rebuilt, I said with half seriously that with Maxi there, anything could happen. By the time he reached his century, I genuinely thought he was going to win it. I’ve seen what it’s like when Maxi gets hold of a team and it felt like one of those nights. Yet to think he would end up with a double-century was another layer of unbelievable.

“Twelve days later, in the final, when Maxi threw the ball back in, I instinctively stuck up a hand and blocked it. Earlier in our careers, with so much on the line, you can guarantee there would have been an altercation. But now? We pretended to fight for a second before starting to laugh. That’s exactly as it should be – competitive but respectful,” he added.

virat kohli about glen maxwell pic.twitter.com/pyPyQr2snj

— (@manmarziiyaan) November 6, 2024

Notably, both Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell have played together for RCB for the past four seasons.

Australian cricketers Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja and Josh Hazlewood went through a funny lie detector test. During the test, all the cricketers were asked some funny questions and a blue light on the buzzer would go up if the answer is correct. However, a wrong answer would see the a red light go up on the buzzer with the respective player getting a bit of electric shock. The players were asked several questions related to their personal lives, and during that they also spilled beans about several incidents related to another star Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell.

Travis Head was asked if he drank more than 35 beers after Australia’s 2023 ODI World Cup win. The star batter replied with a “no”, but got the electric shock. “It’s a lie,” said one of the two hosts during the show.

During the funny interaction, Labuschagne was also asked about the correct pronounciation of his name.

“Is the current Australian team has a better environment without David Warner?” was the question to Khawaja. He replied with a “no”, but the red light lit up.

Notably, Maxwell missed his side’s 2023 Cricket World Cup match against England after meeting a freak golf cart accident. As per reports, Maxwell slipped and fell off the back of the cart, suffering a head injury which saw him being dropped out of Australia’s playing XI vs England.

“Do you think that was a cover-up when Glenn Maxwell fell off a golf cart,” asked one of the hosts from Khawaja.

“No! Because I was there. I saw him fall off the cart,” said Khawaja but he got the shock, which as per the game rules was a lie.

Meanwhile, Mitchell Marsh revealed that Maxwell went to Turkey to get a new set of teeth.