Glenn Maxwell could be wicketkeeper in T20 World Cup against England after Matthew Wade caught Covid

The last time Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell wicked for Australia with a big hit was eight years ago, but he’s ready to take on England tonight.

Australia’s T20 Cricket World Cup squad is shocked by a Covid diagnosis in regular wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who tested positive on Wednesday night.

He has only mild symptoms and it is hoped he can still play in the crucial World Cup Group 1 match against England.

But with no backup wicketkeeper in the squad and the ICC rules preventing them from signing up another player, a replacement may have to be found from within.

Captain Aaron Finch has hinted that David Warner could be that man, but Maxwell has gone on to sponsor Kookaburra to get a new set of goalkeeper gloves to train for the role.

“This is the most excited I’ve ever been. This one [wicketkeeping gloves] are mine, these are brand new,” he said.

“I went to Kookaburra this morning and said ‘give us a set of gloves’, see what happens.

“Look, I’m just trying to be ready. Just stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.

“The problem is that brand new gloves are very difficult to put on, you have to break them in.”

Maxwell has trained to be a wicketkeeper in case Wade can’t take his place in their crucial ICC T20 World Cup clash against England on Friday after signing Covid

Maxwell behind the stumps wouldn’t be a first for the Australian side, after he stood wicketkeeper in a heavy Test loss to Pakistan in 2014.

“I’m the last person on this team to stay in a test match, or stay for Australia, apart from the actual goalkeepers.

“I’ve played in Premier Cricket, I’ve played in a lot of charity matches – because I just don’t want to field, so I’ll just grab the gloves.

“I pretty much kept up most of the way through juniors.

‘I think I’m number one’ [candidate].

‘Taurus [David Warner] wants to do it because he doesn’t want to field.’

While Maxwell is excited, Wade will likely take his place and wouldn’t be the first Aussie player to stand in line despite signing Covid.

Despite being Covid positive, Tahlia McGrath represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

Matthew Wade, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh from Australia celebrate Dasun Shanaka’s wicket in Sri Lanka

Like McGrath, Wade should follow Covid isolation protocols while waiting to hit and on the field.

Marcus Stoinis, who scored the fastest half-century of T20 in Australia’s history in 17 balls against Sri Lanka, said Covid precautions were being taken among players to prevent more casualties, after spinner Adam Zampa had previously contracted the virus.

“Everyone around the world is going through that, and every team needs to have their processes in place to try to keep it as safe as possible,” Stoinis said.

“We first got Covid back in the Big Bash (last summer), and a few of us had it at the same time.