Nic Maddinson eyes Test return after stellar Sheffield Shield finish and new homecoming with Sydney Thunder

New Delhi [India], August 21 (ANI): Nic Maddinson’s ambitions of returning to Test cricket are stronger than ever as he gears up to bring his impressive Sheffield Shield form back to New South Wales. Following a winter return to Sydney, Maddinson is also eager to reignite his T20 career after joining Sydney Thunder.

Last season, Maddinson was a standout in the latter half of the Sheffield Shield for Victoria, smashing three centuries in three matches. This performance was all the more remarkable given that he missed the first part of the season due to injury. His decision to return to Sydney, where his career initially took off, was influenced by a desire to capitalize on his current form.

These performances have started to stir talk of a possible Test recall for Maddinson, who last donned the Baggy Green in 2016-17 against South Africa and Pakistan. His previous stint in Test cricket was brief and disappointing, managing just 27 runs in four innings after the selectors made sweeping changes to the batting order. Yet, the idea of a return to the highest level is something Maddinson contemplates often.

“Probably [think about it] most days to be fair,” Maddinson admitted to ESPNcricinfo.

“Obviously throughout the winter and off season you have other stuff and family at home, but when you start coming into cricket, we’ve been outdoor training on the centre wickets, [Josh] Hazlewood and [Mitchell] Starc have started to roll through, it’s hard not to think about the progression of your career,” he added.

Maddinson remains driven not only to help New South Wales succeed but also to prove that he still has something to offer at the international level. “I love playing the game and want to help New South Wales win but also from a personal point of view still feel like I offer something at international cricket and would love to have that chance again. There’s a lot of motivation for people and still playing for Australia is there for me,” he added.

Reflecting on his evolution as a cricketer, Maddinson believes he is far better equipped now than during his initial Test stint. During his six seasons with Victoria, he averaged an impressive 50.63 in Shield cricket, a testament to his growth.

“Ten times better, maybe more,” Maddinson said. “Think I’m probably a much better player than I was even three or four years ago. Felt like Shield runs last year were pretty hard to come by on some of the wickets we got dished up. To be able to score the runs I did last year gave me a lot of confidence, being able to adapt and play a different style. As you look to progress career you have to adapt and last year felt I really made some good progress,” he noted

Maddinson’s return to form in the Shield was in stark contrast to his challenging Big Bash League (BBL) season with Melbourne Renegades, where he was dropped after scoring just 48 runs in four innings. This struggle was partly due to the long break he had after recovering from an ACL injury. However, he is optimistic about turning his T20 fortunes around with Sydney Thunder, despite his underwhelming overall T20 record.

“I’ve been pretty disappointed with how I’ve been probably since I left the Sydney Sixers [in 2018] to be fair,” Maddinson reflected. “For me, what’s important is having a decent block of longer-form cricket to channel into BBL and then expand your game from there,” he said.

“There’s definitely stages in people’s careers where you have a bit of a lull in formats and can bounce back. Last year was a bit disappointing for me because the only thing holding me back from feeling like I was going to do well was just the amount of game time. There were a few technical changes and bad habits I’d got into from practising for T20 that took away from the overall structure of my batting. Going forward it’s about trying to find a game plan that works regardless of where I fit in in the order,” he noted.

Looking ahead, Maddinson is excited about the prospect of opening the batting alongside David Warner for Sydney Thunder. The duo has a history, having shared a 233-run stand in a Shield match back in 2011. With Warner’s full availability for the season confirmed, Maddinson is hopeful of rekindling that partnership.

“Think I opened with him for the very first time when I was 16 in a 2nd XI game,” Maddinson recalled.

“To think we could be batting together again, it’s been quite a long time. That top order, you put Cam Bancroft into that, Ollie Davies, Sam Billings, it’s quite a nice-looking line-up and hopefully I have a role in that somewhere,” he added.

As Maddinson prepares for the new season, his dual aspirations of a Test recall and a T20 resurgence are clear, with the determination to prove himself once again on the biggest stages of cricket.