“Love playing the game…”: Nic Maddinson eyes Test return after superb Sheffield Shield campaign

Australian left-handed batter 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 the New South Wales. Maddinson is also eager to reignite his T20 career after joining Sydney Thunder for the upcoming Big Bash season.

Last season, Maddinson was a standout in the latter half of the Sheffield Shield for Victoria, smashing 3 centuries in as many matches. This performance was all the more remarkable given that he missed the first part of the season due to injury.

These performances have started to stir talk of a possible Test recall for Maddinson, who last played Test cricket for Australia back in 2016-17 against South Africa and Pakistan. His previous stint in Test cricket was brief and disappointing, managing just 27 runs in 4 innings. Yet, return to playing Test cricket for Australia is something that Maddinson dreams of quite often.

“Probably (think about it) most days to be fair. 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, Hazlewood and Starc have started to roll through, it’s hard not to think about the progression of your career,” Maddinson told ESPNcricinfo.

“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,” Maddinson added.

Reflecting on his evolution as a cricketer, Maddinson believes he is far better equipped now than during his initial Test stint.

“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,” Maddinson further added.

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