Nic Maddinson has responded to the criticism surrounding his controversial Test recall after enduring a difficult first innings against South Africa in Durban. The Australian opener was dismissed for a 33-ball duck on his return to Test cricket, but bounced back with an aggressive knock in the second innings.

Maddinson's selection attracted scrutiny as he returned to the Test setup nearly a decade after his previous appearance in the format. He had not played a first-class match for 19 months and missed the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield season while undergoing treatment for testicular cancer.

Nic Maddinson created several unwanted records with 33-ball duck on Test comeback

Maddinson's return did not get off to the start he would have wanted, as he failed to score in Australia's first innings against South Africa. The left-hander faced 33 deliveries before dragging a Marco Jansen delivery onto his stumps, making his dismissal one of the talking points of the match.

His innings also entered the record books for an unwanted reason, as the 33-ball duck became one of the longest scoreless innings by an Australian batter in Test cricket. The dismissal added to the scrutiny surrounding the decision to select him without recent first-class match practice.

However, Nic Maddinson showed a different approach in Australia's second innings. He struck Jansen for four off the first ball he faced and went on to score 48 off 38 deliveries. His attacking knock helped Australia set the tempo before declaring, leaving the team sufficient time to push for a victory.

Nic Maddinson admitted that getting off the mark immediately in the second innings brought considerable relief after his difficult first outing. He also acknowledged the criticism but said the support he received from teammates, state cricket colleagues, friends and family helped him move forward.

"I think I went out there and thought, 'I just have to get bat on this, wherever it is' and luckily I was able to get a bit of a loosener first up from the big fella who was a bit tight and tried to get a bumper to loosen things up, which was a huge relief to me," Maddinson told Kayo Sports on the fifth day at Kingsmead.

"There were probably some negative comments around but most of the support I got from guys within the squad, within state cricket and friends and family as well, it has all been super positive. That is what I tried to take out there and just relax a bit. I have done it [for] a long time. It is just about bringing it into place at this level."

I was disappointed with how it played out - Nic Maddinson on his first innings on comeback

Nic Maddinson admitted that he was disappointed with his first-innings dismissal, particularly because he felt there were scoring opportunities he failed to convert. He also pointed to the challenge of facing Jansen, whose height and left-arm angle made batting at the top of the order difficult.

"Marco Jansen is a tall left-armer and the ball was seaming a bit, so it is always a challenge at the top of the order. But I was disappointed with how it played out. I missed a few off my pads, a few cut shots and then you get stuck down that end. The result was not great.

"But it was that balance; you are trying to stick to your plan but also not do anything too rash just because I had not got off the mark. I was disappointed with the lead-up and a couple of balls I should have scored off, but that is cricket," he said.

"I have been playing long enough to know that it doesn't always go to plan and it was just about settling down in the field. The game slowed down and then it was about trying to make the most of the second innings."