Maxwell defends switch-hit: 'It's part of game's evolution'

Ian Chappell and many of his ilk may deem it as "blatantly unfair" but the switch-hit is well within the laws and is part of cricket's evolution feels one of its foremost exponents Glenn Maxwell.

Maxwell plays the switch-hit effectively and has hit quite a few in the just-concluded three-match ODI series, something which Chappell termed "illegal".

A switch hit involves a batsman changing the order of his hands (from left-handed to right-handed grip or vice-versa) after the bowler starts his run-up.

"It is within the laws of the game, that has always (been). Batting has evolved in such a way that it has got better and better over the years, which is why see these massive scores are getting chased down and the scores are going up," Maxwell said when asked about Chappell's comments.

Maxwell urged the bowlers to come up with a plan to combat the switch-hit.

"And I suppose it is up-to the bowlers to try and combat that," he said.

"I suppose the skills of bowlers have been tested every-day with bowlers having to come up with different change-ups, different ways to stop batters and the way they shut down one side of the ground and what not so," Maxwell said at the post match press conference.

He said as the batsmen have evolved, similarly bowlers should also try and evolve simultaneously.

"I suppose the way the batting is evolving, I think the bowling should try and evolve ....

"And we see guys come up with knuckle-balls and wide yorker fields and different tactics. And the tactics of ODI cricket have definitely evolved, so I just see it as a different part of the evolution of the game…," he added.