Australia have recalled Nic Maddinson for the first Test against South Africa, completing a remarkable comeback from testicular cancer. The Nic Maddinson Australia Test recall sits alongside the call-up of uncapped Victoria gloveman Sam Harper, who has been added as cover for an injured Josh Inglis.
Inglis will miss the opener. Initial scans confirmed a fractured right index finger. Harper and Maddinson now travel with the squad to Durban, where the three-match series begins on Friday, 9 October.
George Bailey Explains Selection Decisions for Opening Test
Chairman of selectors George Bailey confirmed the reasoning behind the squad changes. He said the pair cover two different areas of the side.
“Sam give us wicketkeeping cover as Josh continues his recovery while Nic provides flexibility throughout the batting order,” Bailey said, according to a BBC Sport report on Nic Maddinson recall. Harper’s role is purely to back up Inglis. Maddinson, by contrast, can be considered anywhere in the top order or the middle order.
Maddinson’s Cancer Recovery and Australia’s Tactical Options
Maddinson last played Test cricket in late 2016, featuring in three matches for Australia. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in April 2025. By the time doctors found it, the disease had already spread to his lung and lymph nodes.
He finished chemotherapy in July 2025 and was cleared to resume playing eight weeks after his final round of treatment. He made five Big Bash League appearances last season, and on Sunday he scored 126 for New South Wales against Victoria in Australia’s domestic one-day competition. That innings appears to have persuaded selectors he is ready for Test cricket again.
Harper arrives with strong form of his own. He scored 128 for Australia A against India A in Puducherry and finished the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield season with 677 runs. Those numbers explain why he, rather than another established gloveman, has been chosen to deputise for Inglis.
Australia also face a tactical question over Cameron Green. He is a doubt for the first Test after suffering a lower abdominal strain while batting in the final ODI before the series. Maddinson’s versatility in the batting order gives selectors extra cover if Green cannot play.
First Test Schedule in Durban and Injury Timelines
The three-match series against South Africa starts in Durban on Friday, 9 October. Australia will manage Inglis’s recovery carefully. A possible return is being eyed for the second Test in Gqeberha, rather than any rush back for the opener.
Green’s fitness also needs close monitoring before the first match. Our recent injury concerns on the tour piece covers the wider squad picture, while readers weighing up how this series might unfold can find more context in our feature that ranked Australia and South Africa Tests.
