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Nic Maddinson Out of Pakistan Clash Over Mental Health Issues

Written by Vishwas Gupta

Nic Maddinson on Saturday pulled out of Australia A’s clash against Pakistan in Perth on mental health grounds, all-but ruling him out of contention for a berth in the Test squad.

The middle-order batsman’s decision comes barely a week after Glenn Maxwell withdrew from Australia’s Twenty20 team to deal with similar issues. Cameron Bancroft will replace Nic Maddinson for the three-day match against Pakistan at Perth Stadium from Monday.

“Nic has made the right decision and we are all behind him,” said Australia A coach Graeme Hick.

“It is braver to speak up than to suffer in silence and I applaud Nic for having the courage to put his health first.”

His withdrawal almost certainly rules him out of the opening Test against Pakistan in Brisbane later this month, with the Australia A game widely seen as a final chance to impress selectors.

It opens the door to Travis Head or rising star Will Pucovski, who has also struggled with mental health issues in the past, to stake their case.

Nic Maddinson’s decision followed Glenn Maxwell, one of the world’s best short-format batsman, late last month opting to take a “short” break from cricket to deal with similar challenges.

 

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Vishwas Gupta