Refreshed, recalled: Maxwell ready for Australia return

Anxiety about the future forced Glenn Maxwell into a headspace where he needed to step away from cricket.

And now the star allrounder's mental health break in October has paved the way for a recall to Australia's ODI and Twenty20 squads.

The 31-year-old will return to the international arena in the upcoming limited-overs tour to South Africa.

Maxwell's last innings for Australia was a destructive 62 from 28 balls against Sri Lanka in Adelaide last October.

Just three days later, he took a break from all cricket following the end of that series.

"Last year to where I got mentally, I probably thought ahead a lot and I thought deep into the future," Maxwell said.

"All of a sudden you start forgetting about the now.

"I think I've come back a fresher player. Being able to work out things off the field and get mentally right to perform and play well without any mental scars."

During his time out, Maxwell received constant support from Australian coach Justin Langer and chief selector Trevor Hohns.

"I think they were just checking up to make sure I was OK," Maxwell said.

"When you do flag something like mental health at some stage during the summer, for them to keep continually checking up on me was great.

"I think guys have been more open ... (they're) being able to actually have the honest conversation: 'I'm not feeling right, I'm not feeling OK' and being accepted that it's OK to feel that," he said.

While Maxwell missed out on selection for Australia's recent three-game ODI tour of India, it allowed him to build form and confidence in the BBL.

As captain of the Melbourne Stars, he has plundered bowling attacks around the country with 389 runs at an average of 43.22.

Maxwell feels like he's now getting on top of the short-ball demons that plagued him during last year's ODI World Cup in England.

"I knew if I could get things right that I had a game that's good enough to play at any level," Maxwell said.

"I've got a really good understanding of what I need to do to be successful and how to bat well.

"I felt confident against the short ball, I kept getting out, but I felt confident against it.

"It's sort of a catch-22 when you try and take it on and get out to it."

Australia's Qantas Tour of South Africa 2020

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

First T20: February 21 at Johannesburg. 3am AEDT (Feb 22), Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second T20: February 23 at Port Elizabeth 11.30pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third T20: February 26 at Cape Town. 3am AEDT (Feb 27), Fox Cricket & Kayo

First ODI: February 29 at Paarl (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second ODI: March 4 at Bloemfontein (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third ODI: March 7 at Potchefstroom. 7pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo