If she hadn't told me to get on that plane, I would have never played another game for Australia: Matthew Wade on how his wife saved his career

Matthew Wade recently earned a recall to the Australia T20I and ODI teams for the tour of South Africa, starting February 21 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Even as his last ODI came way back in October 2017, the wicketkeeper took part in his last T20I on September 2016. At the age of 32, his career seemed to have gotten a new lease of life, especially after his Test return in the Ashes 2019.

However, things could’ve been different had he not played in Australia A’s tour of England last year. It was during that time when his wife Julia Barry was about to deliver their second child. Julia was induced while being pregnant so that both parents were present for the birth in June. Wade departed for the A tour and it paved the way for his comeback in the Australia Test side for the Ashes.

It’s amazing how big a role that 10-minute conversation played, says Wade

Now after getting picked in the limited-overs teams, Wade admitted that his wife played a huge role in turning his career around. “It was one split-second decision. If she hadn’t told me to get on that plane and go to England, I would have never played another game for Australia. And now 12 months later, I’m back in all formats,” Wade was quoted as saying in cricket.com.au.

“(If not for Julia) I probably would have spoken to the selectors and knocked it on the head, and who knows where I’d be now. And I would have been comfortable with that decision as well. It’s just amazing how big a role that 10-minute conversation has had in the next 12-month period,” the Hobart-born Wade said.

Back in 2018, when Australian cricket was marred with the tampering scandal, Wade was nowhere in contention for a berth in the national side. Assuming that his career was over, he devoted his time to life after cricket and picked up a carpentry apprenticeship.

Realising that he doesn’t have a whole lot of cricket left ahead of him, Wade wishes to stay calm in the middle. “This a little bit of a free hit for me. I’m towards the backend of my career and I probably didn’t expect to play another game for Australia. For me it’s about staying relaxed and executing the way I do in domestic cricket,” he added.