I didn't want to make it my last Test, says.......

Maybe, just maybe, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell's unwanted perception as a clownish cricketer is finally being eroded after he scored an outstanding maiden Test century on Day 2 of the third Test against India. The 28-year-old was unbeaten on 82 overnight and overcame the nervous nineties to register an emotional ton, helping restore Australia's dreams of memorably retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Maxwell's game-changing innings of 104 during a lengthy 191-run fifth-wicket stand with Steve Smith, his incomparable captain, could very well prove to be a defining knock and be the junction when his temperamental talents finally clicked into place.

After reaching the coveted landmark and waving his bat to the Australian dressing room, Maxwell emotionally kissed his helmet for an extended moment. Undoubtedly, he was soaking in his triumph against the odds, after many critics adamantly believed Maxwell could never make it as a Test batsman.

"There was just so much emotion that fell out of me as soon as I got the hundred," Maxwell told reporters after the second day's play in a candid press conference on Friday (March 17). "Even thinking about it now, I've got a frog in my throat. It's just as special a moment I've had in my career and hopefully it's not the last."

The outpouring of emotion was testament to an anxious wait having reached Stumps just 18 short of a century on Day 1. "I thought about it all night, I went through about 300-400 different scenarios that could have happened the next day... most of them weren't good," Maxwell told chuckling press corps.

It was a particularly sweet moment for the Victorian who has long been viewed as a player befitting the shorter-formats but lacking the nuance to succeed at the Test level. Compounding things, Maxwell is easy to ridicule - after all one of his monikers is the 'The Big Show', which is often derisively amended to 'The No Show' after he disappoints. Much like the Marsh brothers and Shane Watson, Maxwell has often been a punchline.

Part of the bile stemmed from when he landed a lucrative USD 1 million contract during the 2013 Indian Premier League auction. Maxwell was little known at the time, having only made his One-Day International (ODI) debut a mere six months earlier and dubious Australian fans believed he was not deserving of his rich pay day.

The critics' reservations and typecasting seemed justified after Maxwell produced almost nothing with the bat from three Tests played in Asia during 2013-14. In his last Test appearance against Pakistan during Australia's ill-fated tour of the UAE, Maxwell batted at three and made scores of 37 and 4. Australia were promptly thrashed and, inevitably, Maxwell's selection was widely panned.

Kim Hughes, the former Australian captain, headlined the verbal bashing of Maxwell. "I mean his effort was diabolical," Hughes said on Perth radio at the time. "He's alright in the Twenty20, absolutely, but he shouldn't even be considered for anything else."

Since then, he has been banished into Test wilderness but his reputation as being proficient against spin coupled with an ability to bowl handy offbreaks meant Maxwell earned a spot on the tour of India. An injury to struggling all-rounder Mitchell Marsh paved the way for a long-awaited recall and the first Test ton.

"To get back in the side in the first place was something that I really held close to my heart," Maxwell admitted. "I was so happy to be able to walk back on the field with the Australian Test team with the Baggy Green cap on and I was so filled with joy when I got told I had the opportunity to do that again.

"Suppose I just didn't really want to waste the opportunity. I didn't want to make it my last Test, that's for sure," he added. "Just wanted to make it count ... every opportunity I get from now on."

Maxwell's selection wasn't necessarily a surprise considering his intoxicating skill-set, but came after a turbulent period where he had been dropped from Australia's ODI team and was on the outer after a public spat with Matthew Wade, his Victorian captain and Australian teammate.

Maxwell admitted he questioned himself during these tough times. "I was in a place where I doubted whether I can play Test cricket again and whether to put the cap back on," he said. "I just did whatever I can on and off the field and tried changes in technique and numerous discussions with lot of people. I tried staying aloof as much I could and kept on asking questions and change people's perception about what Maxwell was doing."

Maxwell's unwanted perception can be attributed to his flashy game, where he often looks blase. At the crease, he languidly crouches in his stance with his legs splayed apart. His casual demeanour makes him appear like he's having a carefree hit at a suburban park on a Sunday morning in a bid to shake off the stupor from a big night.

However, despite the showboating in his batting, behind the scenes Maxwell is a grinder and sets high standards for himself. Mickey Arthur, the former coach of Australia who handed Maxwell his Test and ODI debuts, spoke glowingly of his former disciple.

"People don't realise he has a deep understanding of the game. He studies the game and his own performance meticulously. Maxwell cares about the game and he doesn't want the show pony status. That's all just media hype."

Maxwell's devotion appears to be reaping rewards after a commanding display in Ranchi, where he faced 185 balls - 71 more than his previous six innings combined. Perhaps most impressively, the 28-year-old's strike-rate barely lifted above 50 for the duration of his innings, testament to an unwavering desire to shelve the big shots.

Early in the innings, Maxwell focused on rotating the strike in a determined effort to play himself in and cash in once set. It was the type of responsible batting his critics have pleaded him to hone for years but, perhaps belatedly, Maxwell appears to have found a successful formula.

Maxwell revealed he had a "pretty simple" plan. "Obviously, yesterday I came in at a time when we were in a bit of a tricky situation," he said. "The balls were reverse swinging and I just tried to play as straight as I could and keep my pads out of the way. (The plan was to) just keep doing that for as long as possible and try to keep the Indian team out on their feet for as long as possible. That was obviously the plan when we came out today."

Maxwell has often been compared to Andrew Symonds, the former Australian all-rounder, who similarly had a slow start to his career before being a mainstay in the Test and ODI teams in the mid-2000s. Slightly younger than when Symonds's talents materialised, Maxwell hoped his Test breakthrough in Ranchi was the start of a fulfilling career.

"I certainly hope so ... it'll just tick something inside and I can continue to be consistent," he said. "I think that's always been the biggest thing the coaches, selectors have wanted, the consistency. If I can keep producing longer innings and batting long periods of time, building partnerships with other players, I think that's going to go a long way in firstly, holding my spot and secondly, winning games for Australia."

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