Brisbane Heat leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson is thrilled Glenn Maxwell will return to cricket in Friday’s Big Bash League match on the Gold Coast, even if he is playing for the opposition.

The star is set to return with a massive IPL deal, having been snapped up by the Kings XI Punjab team for $2.19 million.

While it's dwarfed by Pat Cummins' incredible $3.16 million contract, Maxwell is one of three Aussie players along with Nathan Coulter-Nile to earn more than a million dollars in the auction.

Maxwell will make his playing return for the Melbourne Stars at Metricon Stadium after taking a break from the game in October due to mental health reasons.

The allrounder joined the Stars in their pre-season camp and will captain the team against the Heat.

“The most important thing is having the guys that are the entertainers and the best players playing in the Big Bash and he’s obviously one of them,” Swepson told AAP.

“He’s proven himself on the international stage and in Twenty20 comps all around the world so to have him back happy, healthy and ready to play is great.

“He’s a game winner and you want to play against the best players. You want to challenge yourself against the best, so it’s great that he’s ready to go.”

The Stars will have to make do in the game without veteran South African quick Dale Steyn however.

Steyn is recovering from a side strain sustained during South Africa’s T20 competition and will sit out, meaning the Stars’ second match in Moe on Sunday is likely to be the fast bowler’s Big Bash debut.

The Heat are out to rebound from Tuesday’s season-opening defeat to a Callum Ferguson-inspired Sydney Thunder.

Despite taking 2-11 to be the pick of the Heat’s bowlers in that match at the Gabba, Swepson only bowled two overs.

He’ll be hoping to get his full complement of four on a Metricon pitch the Heat believe will be beneficial to their leggie and Afghanistan left-armer Zahir Khan.

“We’ve had a good look at the wicket now, generally not as much carry as the Gabba wicket and not as true with the bounce,” Swepson said.

“The spinners, I guess you could say, come in to play a little bit more there. But I think it’ll still be a pretty good track.

“I’m hopeful that it’ll take a bit of turn and be a little bit lower and slower than the Gabba but we’ll just have to wait and see what you get.”
– AAP