Batsman Nic Maddinson has returned to competitive cricket – and remains eager to earn a recall to Australia’s Test squad.

Maddinson announced a hiatus from the game in February 2017 due to personal reasons, but has since returned for Victoria in first-class and List A cricket – and the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League.

‘It’s similar to when you hear Olympians say they try so hard and put their whole life into one goal and when you don’t get it you don’t really know what to do with yourself,’ Maddinson told Fox Sports.

‘I still enjoyed playing and I still enjoyed being out on the field, but everyday activities like getting up and going to the gym or going to training, doing those extra little things I lost a bit of drive to do.

‘Training in the nets all week for a Shield game, I flew down to Melbourne and just in the nets in the space of about two minutes I knew it wasn’t the place I needed to be. I needed to get away and take a break, refresh mentally.’

The talented left-hander played three Tests in late 2016, but managed a mere 27 runs in four innings. He was dropped after the series against Pakistan.

‘Being uncharted territory for me in terms of taking a break from the game, I wasn’t sure what to expect or how it would go down,’ he added.

‘I called my parents and let them know what was going on and it was positive reinforcement I was doing the right thing.’

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