Will Pucovski’s cricket career is on hold again, with the Australian batter withdrawing from his English county deal as he recovers from his latest concussion.
Pucovski’s future was again placed in doubt when he was struck in the head while batting for Victoria against Tasmania on March 3.
In one of the most concerning concussions of the 26-year-old’s career, Pucovski was struck in the side of the head after ducking into a Riley Meredith delivery.
Pucovski had been due to link up with Leicestershire for the opening five rounds of the county championship, but the decision has now been made for him to remain at home.
Will Pucovski is checked after being struck on the helmet by Riley Meredith. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
“It’s a huge shame to lose Will at this stage, but his health must come first,” the Foxes’ head of cricket Claude Henderson said.
“Given the proximity to the start of the English season, it has been agreed by all parties to allow him the necessary time to recover.
“We want to wish Will all the best as he continues to recuperate in Australia.”
The blow was at least the 11th concussion of Pucovski’s stop-start career, with the right-hander left on all fours dry-heaving for several minutes after the impact.
One of the most talented young prodigies in Australia this century, Pucovski’s career has been regularly stopped by injuries and concussions.
He hit 62 on Test debut against India in January 2021, but was ruled out of the next match after suffering a shoulder injury in the field.
The Victorian has also taken time away from the game at different points for mental health reasons, and conceded last month that they were likely linked to his concussions.
“I sort of link the mental health stuff back to my first concussion… which was when I was about 15 or 16,” Pucovski said on the Vic State Cricket Podcast.
Will Pucovski celebrating a century for Victoria. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
“I have a lot of concussion symptoms that over a seven or eight-year period actually never subsided.
“You just sort of got used to having them in a way. The brain’s pretty amazing and can find ways to adapt.
“I would fail concussion tests in the exact same way every single time, regardless of whether I had been hit in the head, and that was over a seven or eight-year period.”
Pucovski’s latest concussion came just one match after he hit his first Sheffield Shield century in more than three years, against NSW in Sydney.