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George Bailey explains Nic Maddinson's surprise Australia call-up despite 19-month first-class absence

Australian selection panel head George Bailey has defended the surprise addition of batter Nic Maddinson to the touring party heading to South Africa, despite the player missing all red-ball cricket for nineteen months following successful medical treatments for testicular cancer in 2025. The thirty-four-year-old athlete, who previously earned three Test caps back in 2016 and recently assumed the captaincy for New South Wales, was drafted into the setup due to squad fitness concerns including a fractured finger for Josh Inglis, an abdominal injury recovery for Cameron Green, and a minor wrist scare for Matt Renshaw.

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