Aussie great's explosive Maxwell axing theory

Michael Slater believes there's more to Glenn Maxwell's omission from the Australian ODI squad than is being said publicly.

Captain Steve Smith raised questions around Maxwell's attitude in calling on him to train better and focus less on "expansive" batting after announcing his squad for the five-match series against England starting January 14.

Head selector Trevor Hohns called for more consistency from Maxwell, saying his 22 average from his past 20 50-over matches was not good enough.

However Slater has put forward the theory that Maxwell has fallen out of favour with some of his senior teammates.

“I can’t help but think he’s not gelling in the team either,” Slater said on Thursday.

“I know that’s a big statement to make, but there’s something just off at the moment.

"He needs to stop premeditating when he bats. He makes batting as hard as you could possibly make it because of this premeditation.”

Former fast bowler Rodney Hogg expressed confusion around the Victorian's non-selection.

"We might need another batsman in South Africa. Great time to play (Maxwell) in ODIs but not picked. The mind boggles," Hogg tweeted.

Fellow former paceman Jeff Thomson suggested Maxwell's axing may have been a "shock to his ego".

"Maxi's always had that aura around him that it's the 'Big Show' and all that. I've hardly ever seen him do a big show," Thomson told Fox Sports.

"It's always been a little show.

"I always thought, 'who's this bloke they're pumping up?' And people have said to me, 'Thommo, he can play'. And I said, 'no, he can't play'.

"When he gets something, then you can tell me he can play."

Thomson also dismissed the Victorian's lead run-scoring efforts in the Sheffield Shield as a sign of the decline of the competition's standard.

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Maxwell averages 73.75 from his nine Shield innings, with top scores of 278 and 96 this season.

"Look at our Test team. We had an injury to Mitchell Starc and we played Jackson Bird. Jackson Bird looked like cannon fodder (in the fourth Ashes Test)," Thomson said.

"If he's the next best bowler out of our Shield season, how are our batters then?"

Retired star batsman Mike Hussey said Maxwell should view his omission as a wake-up call.

"I was a little bit surprised, I think because he's been doing so well for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield," Hussey told Fox Sports.

"A bit disappointing for him but hopefully it's a kick up the backside that he needs and he can keep working hard on his game."

with AAP