Glenn Maxwell has been hailed by Australia's coach as a game-changing talent who can inspire a generation with his brilliance.
Andrew McDonald, left amazed like the rest of cricket by the match-winning double hundred that a hobbling 'Maxi' smashed against Afghanistan on Tuesday, described the allrounder as stretching the possibilities in the batting art, just as Ricky Ponting and South Africa's AB de Villiers did before him.
Suggesting it might take a long time for the true magnitude of Maxwell's unbeaten 128-ball 201 in Mumbai to be properly appreciated, McDonald couldn't help smiling as he related how, back home in Australia, he'd heard players were now imitating the 35-year-old's outrageous inventions.
"I had some text messages from some friends that went to cricket training that night (of Maxwell's innings) and the night after back home, and what were they playing? Reverse sweep, scoops...
"It's probably a little bit of a nightmare with developing players for the coaches, but you've got to encourage it.
"The players take the game forward every day. The game is better today than it was yesterday and Glenn Maxwell will no doubt inspire a new generation with some outrageous shots - and they'll take it even further than he has.
"And that's the beauty about this game, the limits are endless. He's stretched the boundaries as did AB de Villiers, as did Ricky Ponting in their time as well.
"It's exciting to see where the game may head.
"He sees the game differently. Some of the options that he takes, the work that he's put in, even some of the things he does in the field, he does differently and it never ceases to amaze."
Australia were taking a 'wait-and-see' approach with Maxwell on Friday, as they weighed up whether he had properly recovered from fatigue and cramps and would be ready to face Bangladesh on Saturday.
With a semi-final clash against South Africa already wrapped up, Australia could rest the allrounder with minimum concern.
Sean Abbott is a chance to play his first game of the tournament, if McDonald opts to rest one of the three frontline quicks.
Captain Pat Cummins hailed Maxwell's efforts as the "greatest ODI innings" after the explosive Victorian almost single-handedly dragged Australia to victory when they had looked beaten at 7-91 chasing 292.
"It looks like it will take a long time for an innings like that to sink in," McDonald said.
"It's one which you look the highlights back the next day and it still amazes you what happened.
"Patty summed up very well ... probably the greatest one-day innings ever."
