Australian selector Mark Waugh has questioned why Glenn Maxwell was left out of Victoria's Sheffield Shield side, saying the allrounder deserves his place in the team.
Maxwell was named 12th man for Victoria's opening-round Shield win over Tasmania last week, despite scoring 392 runs at 56.00 for the Bushrangers last summer.
Victoria insisted Maxwell was left out for team balance after an underwhelming one-day cup but Waugh was unconvinced.
"He should have been playing," Waugh told Fox Sports' Inside Cricket.
"He's definitely in the best 11 players in Victoria. From an Australian point of view, he's quite capable of playing Test match cricket.
"You need to be asking the Victorian selectors why they left him out. It surely can't be cricket-related because he would be in the team."
Former Test captain Allan Border questioned whether there was lingering resentment about Maxwell's unsuccessful attempt to move to NSW before the start of the domestic season.
"It's got to be something more than form or talent or skills or potential," Border said.
"I don't think he'll move now but if I were him, I'd be looking elsewhere pretty soon."
Maxwell, who is likely to be considered for Test selection for Australia's tour of India next year, has been named in Victoria's extended squad of 13 for their match against Queensland at the MCG starting on Friday.
Bushrangers batsman Peter Handscomb, who helped set up Victoria's win over Tasmania with a handy 78 in the first innings, admitted Maxwell was unlucky to miss out on selection on the basis of his one-day form.
"It's completely different cricket but it's not my decision to make the final call," Handscomb said on Thursday.
"Obviously the last red ball game he played was last year so what form can you go on? Do you go on that one or do you go on the most recent way you've seen him?"
Marcus Stoinis has also been named in Victoria's side after missing the season-opener with a neck injury, as has legspinner Fawad Ahmed, while Peter Siddle misses with Test duties.
Queensland have replaced Test batsman Usman Khawaja and Jason Floros with Sam Heazlett and Jack Wildermuth for the match starting Friday at 1030 (AEDT).
Victoria: Matthew Wade (capt), Fawad Ahmed, Scott Boland, Dan Christian, Travis Dean, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Jon Holland, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Cameron White (12th man to be named).
QLD: Chris Hartley (capt), Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman, Peter Forrest, Peter George, Sam Heazlett, Charlie Hemphrey, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Mitch Swepson, Jack Wildermuth (12th man to be named).
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