Before the first Test of South Africa's tour of Australia in December, Prince suffered a broken thumb. Batsman JP Duminy was selected in his place. According to Prince, who in 2008 scored 900 runs at an average of 64.28 from 13 Tests including four centuries, he had been promised that once he recovered from his injury he would be back in the side. Instead South Africa persisted with Duminy, and Prince did not play another Test until the next series. Dropped from the first 12-man squad for the two Tests when Australia toured South Africa in February, Prince returned to the team for the third Test after captain Graeme Smith was injured and opener Neil McKenzie was dropped. Though he was used to batting in the middle order, Prince was asked to open in the absence of South Africa's settled opening pair. On his recall he was also asked to captain the side in place of the injured Smith, however the following day Cricket South Africa appointed Jacques Kallis to the role so that Prince could concentrate on his unfamiliar task of opening the batting. Opening with debutant Imraan Khan, Prince scored 150, his 11th Test century.