Maxwell handling axing well: McDonald

Glenn Maxwell has been praised for his response to being omitted from Australia's limited overs team as he continues his bid to answer the selectors' call to find consistency in his white-ball game.

Maxwell is "handling (his axing) really, really well" according to Victoria coach Andrew McDonald, who also takes charge of the Melbourne Renegades in the KFC BBL.

"He's understanding of the fact he's just got to go back and post some runs and get some consistent big scores," McDonald told RSN927.

"Which is what he's done in the Sheffield Shield (but) the unfortunate thing with the white ball is the 50-over competition is at the start of the (season) in a block so there's no opportunity for him to go and do that in the 50-over game at the moment.

"But I think he's handling himself really, really well and he knows that runs will be his currency to get himself back in there, and plenty of them."

Maxwell was a shock omission from Australia's ODI squad to face England, with national selector Trevor Hohns citing that he averages just 22 in his past 20 matches in the format.

Captain Steve Smith told reporters he thought Maxwell could be “smarter” with the way he trains and wants to see him post consistent scores as he fights his way back into the side ahead of the 2019 World Cup.

The 29-year-old is in career-best form having amassed 590 runs in five JLT Sheffield Shield matches this summer. He's added 214 runs at 35.67 with two fifties in seven innings from the middle order in a disappointing BBL|07 season for the Melbourne Stars.

"I can't question Maxi in any dimensions of his game this year, including and in particular his preparations," said McDonald.

"He's been outstanding in the way he prepared for Bangladesh, second to none for the Test series there, albeit in the indoor centre which is nothing like it was going to be in Dhaka. But he prepared himself well with left-arm orthodox and all the challenges that were going to come up for him there.

"His Shield preparation has been outstanding as well, and you wouldn't get the results that he's getting without fantastic preparation.

"And that's the key for any athlete, to prepare yourself for what may happen in the upcoming event and then go out and execute.

"He's done that in Shield cricket, and he's starting to get a bit of form in the Big Bash as well.

"I'm sure if Australia calls upon him, he'll be up for the task."

McDonald noted that selection was subjective but his endorsement was the latest in a growing swell of support for the Victorian, with Australia's T20 squad for a tri-series against New Zealand and England set to be named on Monday.

McDonald's endorsement follows that of Ricky Ponting, who will have an assistant coach role with Australia's T20 team this summer.

Ponting had backed Maxwell to resume his spot in the ODI squad after Chris Lynn succumbed to injury.

"I would put him back into the squad," Ponting said on Network Ten commentary. "There was a lot made when he was left out, the chairman of selectors and Steve Smith laid it on the line pretty clearly what they wanted to see from him.

"That was along the lines of 'train better and train smarter' and I think Trevor Hohns said something about playing a bit smarter as well.

"So you would like to think he has listened to all that – he knows what he has to do now when he goes back into that squad.

"And as far as I'm concerned I don't think there's a better middle-order batsman than him to take that spot.

"If you think about the current team, Steve Smith will bat at three, Travis Head at four, Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh or (Marcus) Stoinis in that five-six sort of area.

"So as long as he's learnt his lesson and listened to what those people have had to say, absolutely I think he can go back to international cricket and dominate."

Maxwell was overlooked for Cameron White for the middle-order berth, while England have chased down Australia's totals with relative ease in the opening two fixtures and can wrap up the series in Sunday's third match at the SCG.

2017-18 International Fixtures

Gillette ODI Series v England

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Cameron White, Adam Zampa.

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

First ODI England won by five wickets at the MCG

Second ODI England won by four wickets at the Gabba

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21