Live Update: George Bailey explains Nic Maddinson’s surprise call-up to Australia despite a 19-month absence from first-class cricket. Australia coach George Bailey has defended Nic Maddinson’s surprise inclusion in the Test squad after a lengthy absence from first-class cricket.
George Bailey explains Nic Maddinson’s surprise call-up to Australia despite a 19-month absence from first grade. (Source /) Australia’s chief selector George Bailey has defended the decision to include Nic Maddinson in the squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa, despite the batsman not having played a first-class match for 19 months. Maddinson’s selection came as a surprise, particularly after he missed the entire Sheffield Shield season last year following successful treatment for testicular cancer in 2025. His return to the Test setup comes amid injuries to Josh Inglis and Cameron Green, with the 34-year-old now battling to add to his three Test Cs and return in 2016.
Given Maddinson’s recent lack of first-class cricket, the decision would have surprised some key figures in Australian state cricket. Bailey revealed Maddinson only found out about his selection late on Thursday, before quickly traveling to his Byron Bay home to collect his passport and Baggy Green before traveling from Sydney on Saturday. “Certainly it’s a pretty unique set-up that he hasn’t played first-class cricket.
Which I think is a pretty cool story in itself, and it’s great to see him playing again, but also in a place where he really enjoys it. If you look at his last three or four years, he’s been incredibly unlucky with a cruciate ligament injury, a bad fracture in his arm… So he’s had times where he’s been firmly entrenched in our thoughts and conversations within different teams at different times, but it seems like the cricket world has conspired against him,” Bailey said, as quoted by. “I think his rise to the New South Wales position this year says a lot about the person and how highly regarded he is…he’s a good player.
That’s not to say those who weren’t picked aren’t good players, but I don’t think you can look at that player and say it’s disrespectful to call cricket because he didn’t play last year. I think it’s not like a player who misses out because he says the wickets are green. Bailey explained that Australia’s selection dilemma was compounded after Inglis suffered a broken finger which ruled him out for at least the first Test. Therefore, the selectors needed a player who could provide batting cover as well as another wicketkeeper.
The inclusion of Sam Harper fulfills the latter requirement. At the same time, Australia’s concerns over Green’s recovery from an abdominal injury before the Durban Test forced player selectors to consider a player cable that covers multiple positions. Matt Renshaw’s wrist scare, although he has since been cleared, also added to the uncertainty surrounding Australia’s batting ability.
“I think the challenge for people is probably getting over what he [Maddinson] has had to go through over the last 12 or 18 months,” Bailey said. “For those trying to make a list of the top scorers from last year, it will be a challenge. For the time and place we currently find ourselves in, the conditions we face, and the moving parts we had, it is simply seen as the best solution.
I don’t think there’s a long list of players with that flexibility who can truly say they can play both roles. “Maddinson was among the best Sheffield Shield hitters between December 2018 and March 2024, averaging 52.37 over that period. However, his return to New South Wales in the 2025/26 season did not produce the same numbers as he only averaged 17.80. His poor returns came at a difficult time as Maddinson suffered from fatigue, which he initially believed was due to a virus before he was diagnosed with cancer.
Since March he has only played quality cricket, the Big Bash League and the One-Day Cup. Despite this limited first-class experience, Bailey believes he is physically and mentally prepared for the demands of Test cricket. “Yeah, absolutely,” he said.
“That’s what he’s prepped for. [He] is back in NSW this year, full time, ready to go. So physically and mentally he is doing well. » Another factor in Maddinson’s selection is his ability to resist spin.
Bailey believes this could prove particularly useful in Durban, especially after Australia struggled with the surface in the first ODI of the ongoing series. Maddinson averages 47.97 against spin compared to 35.49 against pace in first-class cricket. While South Africa may be preparing conditions that could help their spinners, Australia sees their experience against spin as another reason for their inclusion.
“[Nic] is a strong player, a very strong spin player and that doesn’t rule out working against fast bowling. “Probably after that one-day wicket and looking at their [South African] team a little bit, I think it’s half an expectation and that’s probably what will hit us in Durban,” Bailey concluded.
