Brad Haddin says he didn't think about cricket for six months during daughter's illness Cricket was off the agenda for Brad Haddin while his daughter battled illness. BRAD Haddin never doubted he could win back his spot in the Australian cricket team. A vague ambition, even. With an infant daughter fighting cancer in hospital, every single ounce of Haddin's focus was channelled into his young family. "There were six months where I didn't think about the game at all," Haddin said. In all honesty, when everything happened with my family, cricket just wasn't in my mind or thoughts. I guess I never doubted that I had the ability get back to the highest level, it was more a basic decision about whether I would continue to play cricket or not. Haddin was touring the West Indies as Australia's wicketkeeper in March last year when his then 17-month-old daughter Mia fell ill and was subsequently diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Haddin's immediate return home saw Matthew Wade take over behind the stumps. Cricketing life was sidelined as many tough months of treatment followed. Either Haddin or his wife Karina would sleep by Mia's side in Westmead Hospital, all the while juggling care for eldest child Zac, and last year's new arrival, baby Hugo. Gloves and cricket nets only began to re-enter the mind of the stoic 35-year-old late in the year, when Mia's treatment began to look positive. "We're all parents, your family comes first the whole time so the priorities were simple," Haddin said. The whole decision for me to come back to cricket was a family decision. If things with Mia weren't going in the direction we wanted, there was no way I would even consider a comeback to cricket. But it got to the stage where things were going in the right direction with Mia, and we're no different to any other family that goes through this, at some stage someone has to go back to work. Haddin jumped back into training, and though each trip away was conditional on Mia's condition, he resumed playing for the Sydney Sixers and NSW as summer began. Showing his clean-hitting, influential form, success for both sides across several formats saw Haddin return to the Australian one-day and Twenty20 side later in the season.Wade had continued to be preferred at Test level but after the Victorian rolled an ankle in India on Australia's recent Test tour, Haddin was recalled for the fourth Test. In the wake of the dismal results for Australia and Wade's struggles with the bat, however, selectors decided two weeks ago to keep the experienced, 44-Test veteran as their top keeper-batsman for the Ashes, and following Shane Watson's resignation as vice-captain last week, gave back Haddin's former title as vice-captain as well, as revealed in these pages earlier this week. "Circumstance has allowed me the opportunity to return to this level, and you know I don't do anything by halves," Haddin said. If I am coming in to do something I am going to challenge myself to be the best possible player I can be as always. The reward of this Ashes squad is obviously very exciting. To be named, and to have the privilege of being Michael's deputy, is a great feeling. There is no better theatre or campaign than an Ashes series. It was what we all want to play. It will be Haddin's second Ashes series as a player (his third, if counting a non-playing role in the 2005 squad) and his form against England is strong. In the opening innings of the first Test of both the 2009 and 2010 series, Haddin cracked a century. With four half-centuries from nine Tests, Haddin averages a tidy 45.7 against the Poms. England wouldn't have wanted to see him back in the squad, that's for sure. He's a very good cricketer, proven at this level, combative and gives us a bit of steel, and quality," former Test captain Steve Waugh said. He's been through a lot in the last year, and Brad realises now cricket is not the be-all and end-all. He can probably go out and play with a bit more freedom than he has in the past. Playing in the Ashes is extremely big for Australian sport and cricket, but there are more important things in life.