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Yes, I have the same foreboding sense of dread.
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[VIDEOS] Will Pucovski announces retirement from all forms of cricket [UPDATE@ POST#106]
- Thread starter Mamba Red
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Yes, I have the same foreboding sense of dread.
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Australia top-order batter Will Pucovski is managing concussion symptoms after being struck on the head during a training session last week.
Pucovski, who made 62 on Test debut against India earlier this year, has suffered nine previous concussions.
Pucovski, who made 62 on Test debut against India earlier this year, has suffered nine previous concussions.
Nikhil_cric
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He has gotten hit on the head way too many times. Him and Cameron Green were the bext great Aussie batsmen but at this point, he should take a real hard look at his life and see whether it is all worth it.
JattMaula
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Yup. Repeat concussions are scary dangerous. Like really really scary.
It’s not normal to get hit this often - not even if you are a tailender.
I suspect that he mentally freezes very occasionally when the ball is pitched short, and the next thing he knows is that he’s been hit again.
He is a brilliant young batsman, but he’s an onfield death waiting to happen.
I don’t think he should be allowed to play.
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Australian Test skipper Tim Paine said on Friday he was "shattered" when he got to know that young batter Will Pucovski had suffered another concussion while training with his state side Victoria on October 5.
The 23-year-old Pucovski was hit on his head while facing throwdowns during Victoria's practice session on October 5 and began showing signs of concussion.
Pucovski made his Test debut this year in the Sydney Test against India in January, scoring 62 and 10 before a shoulder injury while fielding ruled him out of Brisbane Test and subsequent cricketing action as a reconstruction surgery was needed. In 24 first-class matches, Pucovski has an average of over 53.41 with six centuries and as many half-centuries.
Pucovski has suffered 10 concussions throughout his short career, which have led to concerns over his health in the long-term. Before the incident in training, he was struck on the head by pacer Kartik Tyagi while batting for Australia A in the practice match against India A in December last year and was ruled out for the remainder of the match at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney.
Pucovski has been in contention to open alongside David Warner for Australia in the 2021/22 Ashes later in the year.
"It's not ideal, no doubt," Paine told SEN Hobart's Jack and Painey. "Shattering when I found out. I've spoken to him a bit the last few days, he's improving slowly, I don't think it's as bad as some of the others he's had before. But obviously with his history we have to be very careful with anything around the brain. I was devastated to hear that's it happened to him.
"He's still hoping to be ready at some stage during this summer, so he's got plenty of support around him and we know how good he is, there's no need to rush him at the moment," added Paine.
"He's still 22-23 years of age, so he's got a long time in the game if we get it right."
There is speculation on Pucovski's availability for the first Ashes Test against England starting on December 8.
"It's a blow, no doubt," Paine said. "In my opinion, he would've partnered David Warner in that first Test match, there's no doubt about that. But Marcus Harris is probably the guy waiting for the opportunity and he's just come back from a superb six months over in England playing for Leicestershire in county cricket and we know his first-class record has been outstanding for Victoria for a long time. He's probably the frontrunner now for that role."
https://www.timesnownews.com/sports...-test-skipper-tim-paine-left-shattered/823783
The 23-year-old Pucovski was hit on his head while facing throwdowns during Victoria's practice session on October 5 and began showing signs of concussion.
Pucovski made his Test debut this year in the Sydney Test against India in January, scoring 62 and 10 before a shoulder injury while fielding ruled him out of Brisbane Test and subsequent cricketing action as a reconstruction surgery was needed. In 24 first-class matches, Pucovski has an average of over 53.41 with six centuries and as many half-centuries.
Pucovski has suffered 10 concussions throughout his short career, which have led to concerns over his health in the long-term. Before the incident in training, he was struck on the head by pacer Kartik Tyagi while batting for Australia A in the practice match against India A in December last year and was ruled out for the remainder of the match at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney.
Pucovski has been in contention to open alongside David Warner for Australia in the 2021/22 Ashes later in the year.
"It's not ideal, no doubt," Paine told SEN Hobart's Jack and Painey. "Shattering when I found out. I've spoken to him a bit the last few days, he's improving slowly, I don't think it's as bad as some of the others he's had before. But obviously with his history we have to be very careful with anything around the brain. I was devastated to hear that's it happened to him.
"He's still hoping to be ready at some stage during this summer, so he's got plenty of support around him and we know how good he is, there's no need to rush him at the moment," added Paine.
"He's still 22-23 years of age, so he's got a long time in the game if we get it right."
There is speculation on Pucovski's availability for the first Ashes Test against England starting on December 8.
"It's a blow, no doubt," Paine said. "In my opinion, he would've partnered David Warner in that first Test match, there's no doubt about that. But Marcus Harris is probably the guy waiting for the opportunity and he's just come back from a superb six months over in England playing for Leicestershire in county cricket and we know his first-class record has been outstanding for Victoria for a long time. He's probably the frontrunner now for that role."
https://www.timesnownews.com/sports...-test-skipper-tim-paine-left-shattered/823783
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Will Pucovski wants to push for a spot on Australia's Test tour of Pakistan, declaring he will return to cricket with a clear mind on Saturday after his 10th concussion setback.
Pucovski will play his first game in almost a year on Saturday in Melbourne club cricket, after returning to batting last month following an October head knock.
The left-hander remains the most promising player in Australia's cricket system, but has managed just the one Test last January against India, when he injured his shoulder.
Pucovski admitted he had at times found it hard to watch the Ashes this summer, having earned his spot last year before his latest injury blows.
But the 23-year-old said that frustration showed the desire and focus was still there to become a career player for Australia, despite the regular setbacks.
"The fire is definitely still burning to make sure I get back there," Pucovski said.
"I'd like to say that if I am playing Shield cricket for Victoria (next month) and I've put my name up, I'm ready to go.
"The Pakistan tour is in March, so if I'm doing well and put performances on the board then I can't see why I wouldn't be in line to be selected there."
Pucovski will still manage his shoulder on return, having opted against a game in understrength Big Bash sides to better control it.
The young gun admitted he had feared being thrown on the scrap heap following a long run of setbacks, but had been assured by chief selector George Bailey he wouldn't be.
"He just said 'mate just make sure you get yourself right, we want you as a sort of long-term player for Australia'," Pucovski said.
"That was pretty awesome to hear ... because you do get worried that with the injury pile up that people are maybe going to give up on you."
His most likely way back to the Test team is at the top of the batting order given Marcus Harris' run of outs, but Pucovski claimed he did not see himself exclusively as an opener.
Pucovski is certain there are no mental scars from his long run of concussions.
The Victorian has long been adamant he does not have an issue with the short ball, having been targeted since his teens.
Pucovski claims he has also come to terms with the fact he will be hit on the head again, but has worked hard in recent years with mind coach Emma Murray to be in control of the mental challenges around the situation.
"It's just bound to happen. So it's something I've got to deal with," Pucovski said.
"But I've also got people that are helping me out with my concussions.
"And I feel pretty confident that regardless of what happens, I'll always be able to bounce back.
"So it's not really something that occupies my mind too much."
https://7news.com.au/sport/cricket/pucovski-back-and-targeting-pakistan-tour-c-5218791
Pucovski will play his first game in almost a year on Saturday in Melbourne club cricket, after returning to batting last month following an October head knock.
The left-hander remains the most promising player in Australia's cricket system, but has managed just the one Test last January against India, when he injured his shoulder.
Pucovski admitted he had at times found it hard to watch the Ashes this summer, having earned his spot last year before his latest injury blows.
But the 23-year-old said that frustration showed the desire and focus was still there to become a career player for Australia, despite the regular setbacks.
"The fire is definitely still burning to make sure I get back there," Pucovski said.
"I'd like to say that if I am playing Shield cricket for Victoria (next month) and I've put my name up, I'm ready to go.
"The Pakistan tour is in March, so if I'm doing well and put performances on the board then I can't see why I wouldn't be in line to be selected there."
Pucovski will still manage his shoulder on return, having opted against a game in understrength Big Bash sides to better control it.
The young gun admitted he had feared being thrown on the scrap heap following a long run of setbacks, but had been assured by chief selector George Bailey he wouldn't be.
"He just said 'mate just make sure you get yourself right, we want you as a sort of long-term player for Australia'," Pucovski said.
"That was pretty awesome to hear ... because you do get worried that with the injury pile up that people are maybe going to give up on you."
His most likely way back to the Test team is at the top of the batting order given Marcus Harris' run of outs, but Pucovski claimed he did not see himself exclusively as an opener.
Pucovski is certain there are no mental scars from his long run of concussions.
The Victorian has long been adamant he does not have an issue with the short ball, having been targeted since his teens.
Pucovski claims he has also come to terms with the fact he will be hit on the head again, but has worked hard in recent years with mind coach Emma Murray to be in control of the mental challenges around the situation.
"It's just bound to happen. So it's something I've got to deal with," Pucovski said.
"But I've also got people that are helping me out with my concussions.
"And I feel pretty confident that regardless of what happens, I'll always be able to bounce back.
"So it's not really something that occupies my mind too much."
https://7news.com.au/sport/cricket/pucovski-back-and-targeting-pakistan-tour-c-5218791
Hassaan HS
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‘He needs to retire’: Pucovski’s future in doubt after luckless prodigy’s 11th concussion
Luckless Australian batting prodigy Will Pucovski suffered another concussion Saturday in his comeback match after an extended break out of the game.
The 24-year-old is regarded as one of Australia’s best prospects, but his career has been blighted by a string of concussions, injuries and mental health issues, limiting him to just one Test appearance.
His latest concussion is believed to be the 11th of his short career, once more consigning him to an uncertain future.News Corp’s Peter Lalor wrote Pucovski “needs to retire” for his health.
“Commentators don’t have medical degrees but people who do have told us over and over and over that people like Will Pucovski need to be protected from themselves,” he wrote.
“They tell us that repeated concussions cause brain damage.“Pucovski’s cracked a dozen eggs if he has cracked one and if we are to believe the experts that means he is doing irreparable damage to his young brain.”
He was reportedly struck on the head during a morning warm-up ahead of the final day of Victoria’s Sheffield Shield match against South Australia.
“Pucovski reported concussion symptoms to medical staff while fielding in the first session of play this morning,” Cricket Victoria said in a statement.
Pucovski was making his first appearance with his state team since his national Test debut against India at the beginning of last year.He showed glimpses of his immense talent in that match with a half-century, before a shoulder injury put his career on hold yet again.
Pucovski had been widely expected to open the innings in the recent Ashes campaign against England before yet another concussion setback ruled him out of the series.
He was also hopeful of joining the tour of Pakistan but took three months to recover from his last concussion and will surely now miss the rest of the summer.
Freak accidents have cruelled Pucovski, as he has suffered concussions banging his head on a door at home, being hit by an errant delivery in the nets, and falling over running between the wickets after his bat was caught in the turf while grounding it.
“It probably took five or six weeks before I got back on track,” he said last month ahead of his return to grade cricket from his 10th concussion.
“The first couple of weeks were pretty hard, I was trying to go for walks and feeling pretty sick even walking around the block. It wasn’t ideal, and they’re probably the times where you’re really struggling.
“You definitely do have days, especially post-injury, where you’re thinking how much of a nightmare it is and how much it sucks and how bad you feel. But I think that’s just a normal part of life, everyone would go through those days.
“There’s always been a plan, which always helps me, and as you do start taking those steps towards recovery, those times become less and less, and you get super excited about being back.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...e/news-story/87d52eb8eea5d20057387dd50ed28331
Luckless Australian batting prodigy Will Pucovski suffered another concussion Saturday in his comeback match after an extended break out of the game.
The 24-year-old is regarded as one of Australia’s best prospects, but his career has been blighted by a string of concussions, injuries and mental health issues, limiting him to just one Test appearance.
His latest concussion is believed to be the 11th of his short career, once more consigning him to an uncertain future.News Corp’s Peter Lalor wrote Pucovski “needs to retire” for his health.
“Commentators don’t have medical degrees but people who do have told us over and over and over that people like Will Pucovski need to be protected from themselves,” he wrote.
“They tell us that repeated concussions cause brain damage.“Pucovski’s cracked a dozen eggs if he has cracked one and if we are to believe the experts that means he is doing irreparable damage to his young brain.”
He was reportedly struck on the head during a morning warm-up ahead of the final day of Victoria’s Sheffield Shield match against South Australia.
“Pucovski reported concussion symptoms to medical staff while fielding in the first session of play this morning,” Cricket Victoria said in a statement.
Pucovski was making his first appearance with his state team since his national Test debut against India at the beginning of last year.He showed glimpses of his immense talent in that match with a half-century, before a shoulder injury put his career on hold yet again.
Pucovski had been widely expected to open the innings in the recent Ashes campaign against England before yet another concussion setback ruled him out of the series.
He was also hopeful of joining the tour of Pakistan but took three months to recover from his last concussion and will surely now miss the rest of the summer.
Freak accidents have cruelled Pucovski, as he has suffered concussions banging his head on a door at home, being hit by an errant delivery in the nets, and falling over running between the wickets after his bat was caught in the turf while grounding it.
“It probably took five or six weeks before I got back on track,” he said last month ahead of his return to grade cricket from his 10th concussion.
“The first couple of weeks were pretty hard, I was trying to go for walks and feeling pretty sick even walking around the block. It wasn’t ideal, and they’re probably the times where you’re really struggling.
“You definitely do have days, especially post-injury, where you’re thinking how much of a nightmare it is and how much it sucks and how bad you feel. But I think that’s just a normal part of life, everyone would go through those days.
“There’s always been a plan, which always helps me, and as you do start taking those steps towards recovery, those times become less and less, and you get super excited about being back.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...e/news-story/87d52eb8eea5d20057387dd50ed28331
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Hope all works out ok for Pucovski
Another concussion?
Another concussion?
greatest
Local Club Regular
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This is not looking good. I hope he is fine. Want to see him play for Australia again.
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Pucovski cleared to resume batting after latest head knock
A Cricket Victoria spokesperson confirmed Pucovski had been given the 'all clear' to resume batting after being struck by a bouncer
Will Pucovski has been cleared to resume batting in Victoria’s Second XI match in Adelaide, after suffering another head knock at the batting crease.
Playing for Victoria's Second XI against South Australia ahead of next week's Marsh Sheffield Shield resumption, Pucovski was on 42 when he was hit on the helmet attempting to pull a short ball off paceman David Grant.
The 25-year-old continued his innings after an initial assessment that took several minutes, and faced a further four balls from the other end in the ensuing over.
Pucovski retired hurt not long after this knock to the helmet while playing for Victoria's second XI // CA
But after signalling for a drink at the end of that over, Pucovski walked off the ground and underwent a concussion test soon after.
It was understood to be Pucovski's decision to come off the field, having felt dizzy running between the wickets after his batting partner Nic Maddinson hit a three.
The caution was understandable given his luckless run with head injuries – several of them coming after freak accidents – which have derailed his career since making his Test debut three years ago.
However a Cricket Victoria spokesperson confirmed that Pucovski has since been cleared to continue batting in Adelaide.
"Pucovski passed a concussion test before batting in the nets where he was given the all clear to continue playing," the spokesperson said.
"He will be monitored through the day and the rest of the game."
Pucovski receives medical treatment following the head knock // CA
There has been optimism over Pucovski's prospects during the first half of the Shield summer after a stop-start run over recent seasons due to both concussion and mental health concerns.
The right-hander's returns (189 runs at 21, with one fifty from five games) have been lean by the standards of a batter who held a first-class average of nearly 50 coming into the season.
But Victoria had been eager for Pucovski to simply get an extended run of matches, after he had made a comeback through club cricket stints in Melbourne and the UK last year.
'Enjoying his cricket again': Pucovski set for Shield return
"It seemed like he was really enjoying his cricket again," Pucovski's close friend Sam Harper told cricket.com.au in September.
"Going to England, just the continuity of that … he's looking to just keep playing cricket. Hopefully this is the start of a good run."
Source : cricket.com.au
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Pucovski retires hurt after nasty second-ball head knock
Will Pucovski's horrible run of head knocks has continued after the Victoria batter was forced to retire hurt following another nasty blow in the Marsh Sheffield Shield match in Hobart.
Pucovski was substituted out of the Vics' match against Tasmania having been visibly ill after a Riley Meredith bouncer struck him on just the second delivery he faced in the game's fourth innings at Blundstone Arena.
The right-hander came into bat at No.3 after a 178-run opening partnership. The knock to what looked to be the side of his helmet came after he turned his head on a short ball bowled by Meredith, one of the quickest bowlers in the country.
It left him in distress as Cricket Australia's on-duty doctor attended to him.
He was eventually able to walk off the ground, but his involvement in the match is over given his long history of concussions.
"Will is currently in the hands of our medical professionals," a Cricket Victoria spokesperson said. "We'll look to provide an update in due course."
Reserve batter Campbell Kellaway was padded up not long after Pucovski retired and will be permitted to bat as Victoria chase 442 in a crucial top-of-the-table Shield contest against the Tigers.
Pucovski had hoped to have turned the corner on the string of concussion and mental-health issues that have halted what seemed an inevitable rise to becoming a star international cricketer.
The 26-year-old has been hit in the head close to a dozen times, the latest coming in a second XI match in January that delayed his return to the Shield last month.
"To be honest, that was probably the first time I'd been hit and I didn't feel overly stressed by it. I just thought, OK, it is what it is," he told SEN recently.
Pucovski then sent a telling reminder of his immense talent last month when he scored his seventh first-class century in the Vics' clash with NSW at the SCG.
Even more so than the concussions he has suffered, the mental health struggles Pucovski has battled have been a greater concern for the right-hander who played one Test against India in January 2021.
Speaking on the Vic State Cricket podcast recently, Pucovski admitted he had considered retiring.
"Bloody close, very, very close (to giving it away)," he said.
"It'd gotten to the stage where I'd had discussions with people saying, 'yeah, I think this is it'. I was sort of comfortable that I'd given it everything.
"I'd had a week to think about it and I hadn't changed my mind and, to a degree, being happier in every day life made me want to give it away more because I'm like, 'I've got too much to lose now'.
"I spoke to this person who has worked with me and (they said), 'Will, I've never seen someone try as hard as you to try and get on top of this, bugger this, just retire, you've tried so hard, you've given it everything'.
"They said that to me and I was like, 'I'll go one more, I've got one more crack in me'.
"I had some discussions with psych(ologists) and they gave me these other solutions which have really done the job. It's just been one of those things where I was pretty close but I'm glad I didn't."
SOURCE: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3920221
Will Pucovski's horrible run of head knocks has continued after the Victoria batter was forced to retire hurt following another nasty blow in the Marsh Sheffield Shield match in Hobart.
Pucovski was substituted out of the Vics' match against Tasmania having been visibly ill after a Riley Meredith bouncer struck him on just the second delivery he faced in the game's fourth innings at Blundstone Arena.
The right-hander came into bat at No.3 after a 178-run opening partnership. The knock to what looked to be the side of his helmet came after he turned his head on a short ball bowled by Meredith, one of the quickest bowlers in the country.
It left him in distress as Cricket Australia's on-duty doctor attended to him.
He was eventually able to walk off the ground, but his involvement in the match is over given his long history of concussions.
"Will is currently in the hands of our medical professionals," a Cricket Victoria spokesperson said. "We'll look to provide an update in due course."
Reserve batter Campbell Kellaway was padded up not long after Pucovski retired and will be permitted to bat as Victoria chase 442 in a crucial top-of-the-table Shield contest against the Tigers.
Pucovski had hoped to have turned the corner on the string of concussion and mental-health issues that have halted what seemed an inevitable rise to becoming a star international cricketer.
The 26-year-old has been hit in the head close to a dozen times, the latest coming in a second XI match in January that delayed his return to the Shield last month.
"To be honest, that was probably the first time I'd been hit and I didn't feel overly stressed by it. I just thought, OK, it is what it is," he told SEN recently.
Pucovski then sent a telling reminder of his immense talent last month when he scored his seventh first-class century in the Vics' clash with NSW at the SCG.
Even more so than the concussions he has suffered, the mental health struggles Pucovski has battled have been a greater concern for the right-hander who played one Test against India in January 2021.
Speaking on the Vic State Cricket podcast recently, Pucovski admitted he had considered retiring.
"Bloody close, very, very close (to giving it away)," he said.
"It'd gotten to the stage where I'd had discussions with people saying, 'yeah, I think this is it'. I was sort of comfortable that I'd given it everything.
"I'd had a week to think about it and I hadn't changed my mind and, to a degree, being happier in every day life made me want to give it away more because I'm like, 'I've got too much to lose now'.
"I spoke to this person who has worked with me and (they said), 'Will, I've never seen someone try as hard as you to try and get on top of this, bugger this, just retire, you've tried so hard, you've given it everything'.
"They said that to me and I was like, 'I'll go one more, I've got one more crack in me'.
"I had some discussions with psych(ologists) and they gave me these other solutions which have really done the job. It's just been one of those things where I was pretty close but I'm glad I didn't."
SOURCE: https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3920221
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JattMaula
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He gotta take a hard decision man. There are other careers out there.
kingusama92
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He seriously needs to retire.
This is too much.
This is too much.
OldWarHorse
Local Club Captain
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He really needs help to come to terms with it. He shouldn't continue, it's just a game after all
FearlessRoar
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Victorian batsman Will Pucovski has pulled out of playing opportunities in the UK this April to focus on recovering from a recent concussion
Will Pucovski’s five-match stint with County Championship side Leicestershire will no longer take place, after both parties agreed he should focus on recovery following another concussion.
The Victorian was due to join the Foxes in April for their opening fixtures of the 2024 season, however suffered a nasty blow on March 3 while batting against Tasmania in the Marsh Sheffield Shield.
It continued a horrible run of head knocks the 26-year-old has suffered throughout his career, and left him visibly ill as he left the Blundstone Arena playing area in the hands of Cricket Australia's on-duty doctor.
Leicestershire CCC said that given the club’s season-opening match against Yorkshire was in just over three weeks, they had mutually agreed to not go ahead with the move.
“It’s a huge shame to lose Will at this stage, but his health must come first,” Director 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, and we want to wish Will all the best as he continues to recuperate in Australia.”
Pucovski was set to join Victoria teammate Peter Handscomb at Grace Road in what would have been his first taste of County Championship action.
His time at the Division Two club was set to include four-day fixtures at famous grounds such as Headingley and Lord’s.
Pucovski, who played one Test against India in January 2021, was also struck in the head in a Second XI match in January, which delayed his Shield return following the KFC BBL break.
However, his recovery from that knock was seen as promising.
“To be honest, that was probably the first time I'd been hit and I didn't feel overly stressed by it. I just thought, OK, it is what it is,” he told SEN in the aftermath.
He then sent a telling reminder of his immense talent last month when he scored his seventh first-class century in Victoria’s match against NSW at the SCG.
However the most recent head knock, from a bouncer sent down by Tasmania quick Riley Meredith, was particularly distressing.
Pucovski was ruled out of Victoria’s current Shield match against Western Australia, and would appear highly unlikely to play in next week’s final should the Vics qualify.
In addition to the concussions he has suffered, the mental health struggles Pucovski has battled have also been of significant concern.
Speaking recently on the Vic State Cricket podcast, the right-hander admitted an early retirement had already been considered.
"Bloody close, very, very close (to giving it away)," he said.
"It'd gotten to the stage where I'd had discussions with people saying, 'yeah, I think this is it'. I was sort of comfortable that I'd given it everything.
"I'd had a week to think about it and I hadn't changed my mind and, to a degree, being happier in everyday life made me want to give it away more because I'm like, 'I've got too much to lose now'.
"I spoke to this person who has worked with me and (they said), 'Will, I've never seen someone try as hard as you to try and get on top of this, bugger this, just retire, you've tried so hard, you've given it everything'.
"They said that to me and I was like, 'I'll go one more, I've got one more crack in me'.
"I had some discussions with psych(ologists) and they gave me these other solutions which have really done the job. It's just been one of those things where I was pretty close but I'm glad I didn't."
Cricket Victoria said in a statement they supported Pucovski and Leicester’s decision to withdraw the right-hander from his county stint as they “continue to monitor and manage Will’s recovery”.
Victoria captain Will Sutherland said Pucovski was in “good spirits” following his latest setback and was at the Junction Oval on day one of their clash with WA for a presentation to teammate Peter Handscomb recognising his 100th Shield match.
Pucovski was scheduled to return to Weybridge Cricket Club in the Surrey Championship following his time at Leicestershire. A decision on whether he will still join Weybridge in 2024 is yet to be made.
Prior to his latest concussions, he said on the Vic State Cricket Podcast he "loved it in England" at Weybridge last year and was really excited to be heading back.
"I'm sort of in this bliss period now where I'm just loving it and just want to get as much cricket under my belt as possible," he said.
"It's been a hell of a journey, but I've gotten to the stage now where I've found what I needed to find, and things are really starting to click."
www.cricket.com.au
Will Pucovski’s five-match stint with County Championship side Leicestershire will no longer take place, after both parties agreed he should focus on recovery following another concussion.
The Victorian was due to join the Foxes in April for their opening fixtures of the 2024 season, however suffered a nasty blow on March 3 while batting against Tasmania in the Marsh Sheffield Shield.
It continued a horrible run of head knocks the 26-year-old has suffered throughout his career, and left him visibly ill as he left the Blundstone Arena playing area in the hands of Cricket Australia's on-duty doctor.
Leicestershire CCC said that given the club’s season-opening match against Yorkshire was in just over three weeks, they had mutually agreed to not go ahead with the move.
“It’s a huge shame to lose Will at this stage, but his health must come first,” Director 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, and we want to wish Will all the best as he continues to recuperate in Australia.”
Pucovski was set to join Victoria teammate Peter Handscomb at Grace Road in what would have been his first taste of County Championship action.
His time at the Division Two club was set to include four-day fixtures at famous grounds such as Headingley and Lord’s.
Pucovski, who played one Test against India in January 2021, was also struck in the head in a Second XI match in January, which delayed his Shield return following the KFC BBL break.
However, his recovery from that knock was seen as promising.
“To be honest, that was probably the first time I'd been hit and I didn't feel overly stressed by it. I just thought, OK, it is what it is,” he told SEN in the aftermath.
He then sent a telling reminder of his immense talent last month when he scored his seventh first-class century in Victoria’s match against NSW at the SCG.
However the most recent head knock, from a bouncer sent down by Tasmania quick Riley Meredith, was particularly distressing.
Pucovski was ruled out of Victoria’s current Shield match against Western Australia, and would appear highly unlikely to play in next week’s final should the Vics qualify.
In addition to the concussions he has suffered, the mental health struggles Pucovski has battled have also been of significant concern.
Speaking recently on the Vic State Cricket podcast, the right-hander admitted an early retirement had already been considered.
"Bloody close, very, very close (to giving it away)," he said.
"It'd gotten to the stage where I'd had discussions with people saying, 'yeah, I think this is it'. I was sort of comfortable that I'd given it everything.
"I'd had a week to think about it and I hadn't changed my mind and, to a degree, being happier in everyday life made me want to give it away more because I'm like, 'I've got too much to lose now'.
"I spoke to this person who has worked with me and (they said), 'Will, I've never seen someone try as hard as you to try and get on top of this, bugger this, just retire, you've tried so hard, you've given it everything'.
"They said that to me and I was like, 'I'll go one more, I've got one more crack in me'.
"I had some discussions with psych(ologists) and they gave me these other solutions which have really done the job. It's just been one of those things where I was pretty close but I'm glad I didn't."
Cricket Victoria said in a statement they supported Pucovski and Leicester’s decision to withdraw the right-hander from his county stint as they “continue to monitor and manage Will’s recovery”.
Victoria captain Will Sutherland said Pucovski was in “good spirits” following his latest setback and was at the Junction Oval on day one of their clash with WA for a presentation to teammate Peter Handscomb recognising his 100th Shield match.
Pucovski was scheduled to return to Weybridge Cricket Club in the Surrey Championship following his time at Leicestershire. A decision on whether he will still join Weybridge in 2024 is yet to be made.
Prior to his latest concussions, he said on the Vic State Cricket Podcast he "loved it in England" at Weybridge last year and was really excited to be heading back.
"I'm sort of in this bliss period now where I'm just loving it and just want to get as much cricket under my belt as possible," he said.
"It's been a hell of a journey, but I've gotten to the stage now where I've found what I needed to find, and things are really starting to click."
Pucovski’s County stint cancelled after latest concussion | cricket.com.au
Victorian batsman Will Pucovski has pulled out of playing opportunities in the UK this April to…
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Cryin Out Loud
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Surely it’s at the stage where he should be “asked to voluntarily retire”. Do people running the game want to take the responsibility of a tragedy?
Nikhil_cric
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If he won't retire voluntarily, then CA needs to decide for him. Already at risk of having Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. It's beyond dangerous.
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Nathan Murphy retired because of concussion; his mate Will Pucovski is still battling symptoms
Will Pucovski is yet to fully shake off the symptoms of his latest concussion, delaying the meeting of a medical panel to help decide on his future in the game.
Cricket Victoria was this week given special dispensation by Cricket Australia to hold off on a decision on whether to offer Pucovski, one of the brightest batting prospects in the country, a contract for next summer, with all state squads meant to be finalised by the end of next week.
Pucovski, 26, is still reporting some effects from the blow to the helmet he suffered in a Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania in early March, although in the past week, there have been signs of improvement.
This has meant that, according to two industry sources with knowledge of the situation who could not comment publicly because the discussions are private, a medical panel comprised of Cricket Victoria, Cricket Australia and independent experts is yet to convene with Pucovski to assess his situation and map a path forward. CV declined to comment.
This week, Collingwood premiership defender Nathan Murphy – a friend of Pucovski who played alongside him at Melbourne Cricket Club – was forced to retire from football because of the effects of concussion, the most recent sustained in last year’s AFL grand final.
The medical panel’s deliberations are pivotal to Pucovski’s future, as they were two years ago when he was ultimately cleared to return to play after a head knock suffered in a Shield match against South Australia.
In part, that decision was made because the panellists concluded that many of Pucovski’s previous concussions had not, in fact, been concussions, but were instead intertwined with mental health issues that had evolved around knocks to the head that began when he played junior football.
“The panel’s overwhelming conclusion was that some of the previous injuries sustained had involved low trauma force and therefore were most likely not true concussion, but a form of either post-traumatic migraine or stress-related response,” the 2022 panel said.
Pucovski made a similar assessment himself at the time of his return to the Victorian Shield side last summer.
“The concussions have masked the bigger issues and that’s the mental health stuff,” Pucovski told Adam White on a Cricket Victoria podcast earlier this year. “The mental health has been a much bigger issue for me than even the concussions. I don’t fear for my long-term health, it’s more the mental health side that’s been the tougher part.”
In Sydney in February, Pucovski played his first game at the SCG since he made his Test debut on the same ground, scoring a half-century and then injuring his shoulder, in January 2021.
His composition of a stirring century in that game was cause for widespread optimism that Pucovski could one day return to the Test side, particularly at a time when the national selectors are compelled to look to the future following David Warner’s retirement.
But the blow to the head in Hobart, when Pucovski appeared to lose sight of a short ball hurled down by the rapid Riley Meredith, returned him to the centre of one of cricket's most difficult conversations.
In the aftermath of the hit, Pucovski lay on the ground for some time being attended by medical staff before slowly getting to his feet and walking from the ground unassisted.
Former Australian and Tasmanian skipper Tim Paine, who captained Pucovski in his solitary Test match, was concerned by what he saw.
“I was watching that live, it wasn’t good to watch,” he said on SEN. “Hopefully, he’s OK, first and foremost. But I think it is concerning it keeps happening, and I think now is probably the time [he] and his people around will have to have a serious conversation on what’s next and which way he is going to attack it.
“I don’t love talking about it, I think everyone knows the issue there, and unfortunately, it keeps happening, he keeps getting hit in the head. He’s got some concussion issues which we’re seeing more and more in all sports, mainly contact sports, but certainly in cricket in the last four or five years, it’s become much more of an issue.”
Murphy retired from the AFL aged only 24 after 57 games, having struggled to recover from the effects of a head knock he suffered during last year’s grand final against the Brisbane Lions.
“It’s a very difficult one, isn’t it? I really feel for Will and his family,” former Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said after Pucovski’s latest hit. “You get all the testing done and the best medical advice, but there comes a time really where you’ve got to think, ‘when is enough, enough’.”
SOURCE: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cri...still-suffering-symptoms-20240418-p5fkr7.html
Will Pucovski is yet to fully shake off the symptoms of his latest concussion, delaying the meeting of a medical panel to help decide on his future in the game.
Cricket Victoria was this week given special dispensation by Cricket Australia to hold off on a decision on whether to offer Pucovski, one of the brightest batting prospects in the country, a contract for next summer, with all state squads meant to be finalised by the end of next week.
Pucovski, 26, is still reporting some effects from the blow to the helmet he suffered in a Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania in early March, although in the past week, there have been signs of improvement.
This has meant that, according to two industry sources with knowledge of the situation who could not comment publicly because the discussions are private, a medical panel comprised of Cricket Victoria, Cricket Australia and independent experts is yet to convene with Pucovski to assess his situation and map a path forward. CV declined to comment.
This week, Collingwood premiership defender Nathan Murphy – a friend of Pucovski who played alongside him at Melbourne Cricket Club – was forced to retire from football because of the effects of concussion, the most recent sustained in last year’s AFL grand final.
The medical panel’s deliberations are pivotal to Pucovski’s future, as they were two years ago when he was ultimately cleared to return to play after a head knock suffered in a Shield match against South Australia.
In part, that decision was made because the panellists concluded that many of Pucovski’s previous concussions had not, in fact, been concussions, but were instead intertwined with mental health issues that had evolved around knocks to the head that began when he played junior football.
“The panel’s overwhelming conclusion was that some of the previous injuries sustained had involved low trauma force and therefore were most likely not true concussion, but a form of either post-traumatic migraine or stress-related response,” the 2022 panel said.
Pucovski made a similar assessment himself at the time of his return to the Victorian Shield side last summer.
“The concussions have masked the bigger issues and that’s the mental health stuff,” Pucovski told Adam White on a Cricket Victoria podcast earlier this year. “The mental health has been a much bigger issue for me than even the concussions. I don’t fear for my long-term health, it’s more the mental health side that’s been the tougher part.”
In Sydney in February, Pucovski played his first game at the SCG since he made his Test debut on the same ground, scoring a half-century and then injuring his shoulder, in January 2021.
His composition of a stirring century in that game was cause for widespread optimism that Pucovski could one day return to the Test side, particularly at a time when the national selectors are compelled to look to the future following David Warner’s retirement.
But the blow to the head in Hobart, when Pucovski appeared to lose sight of a short ball hurled down by the rapid Riley Meredith, returned him to the centre of one of cricket's most difficult conversations.
In the aftermath of the hit, Pucovski lay on the ground for some time being attended by medical staff before slowly getting to his feet and walking from the ground unassisted.
Former Australian and Tasmanian skipper Tim Paine, who captained Pucovski in his solitary Test match, was concerned by what he saw.
“I was watching that live, it wasn’t good to watch,” he said on SEN. “Hopefully, he’s OK, first and foremost. But I think it is concerning it keeps happening, and I think now is probably the time [he] and his people around will have to have a serious conversation on what’s next and which way he is going to attack it.
“I don’t love talking about it, I think everyone knows the issue there, and unfortunately, it keeps happening, he keeps getting hit in the head. He’s got some concussion issues which we’re seeing more and more in all sports, mainly contact sports, but certainly in cricket in the last four or five years, it’s become much more of an issue.”
Murphy retired from the AFL aged only 24 after 57 games, having struggled to recover from the effects of a head knock he suffered during last year’s grand final against the Brisbane Lions.
“It’s a very difficult one, isn’t it? I really feel for Will and his family,” former Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said after Pucovski’s latest hit. “You get all the testing done and the best medical advice, but there comes a time really where you’ve got to think, ‘when is enough, enough’.”
SOURCE: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cri...still-suffering-symptoms-20240418-p5fkr7.html
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One-Test prodigy ‘forced to retire’ as heartbreaking career comes to unfortunate, early end
Australian cricketer Will Pucovski’s career has reportedly come to an unfortunate early end for medical reasons.
Nine’s Tom Morris reported the 26-year-old will retire due to a recommendation from a panel of medical experts.
Pucovski has suffered a series of head injuries with the latest concussion he suffered in March proving the final straw.
“My understanding is that an independent panel of experts recommended Pucovski retire three months ago, and all that’s left is for Cricket Victoria and his team to formalise that contractually,” Morris said on Nine News.
“The news doesn’t come as a surprise to teammates of Pucovski who haven’t seen him at training all pre-season, in fact he’s been travelling overseas.”
However it is not just concussions which have proven Pucovski’s undoing. A previous medical panel in 2022 found some of Pucovski’s head injuries were “not true concussions”, and more likely related to stress or trauma responses.
The former batting prodigy rocketed into the national conversation when he was named in the January 2019 Test squad, before his 21st birthday, and then played his one and only Test against India at the SCG.
Pucovski scored 62 and 10, opening the batting alongside David Warner, but suffered a shoulder injury during the match which cost him some six months.
Hope remained he would be able to string together a long, concussion-free run of form as Australia eyes a long-term replacement at the top or the order but it was not to be.
FOX SPORTS
Australian cricketer Will Pucovski’s career has reportedly come to an unfortunate early end for medical reasons.
Nine’s Tom Morris reported the 26-year-old will retire due to a recommendation from a panel of medical experts.
Pucovski has suffered a series of head injuries with the latest concussion he suffered in March proving the final straw.
“My understanding is that an independent panel of experts recommended Pucovski retire three months ago, and all that’s left is for Cricket Victoria and his team to formalise that contractually,” Morris said on Nine News.
“The news doesn’t come as a surprise to teammates of Pucovski who haven’t seen him at training all pre-season, in fact he’s been travelling overseas.”
However it is not just concussions which have proven Pucovski’s undoing. A previous medical panel in 2022 found some of Pucovski’s head injuries were “not true concussions”, and more likely related to stress or trauma responses.
The former batting prodigy rocketed into the national conversation when he was named in the January 2019 Test squad, before his 21st birthday, and then played his one and only Test against India at the SCG.
Pucovski scored 62 and 10, opening the batting alongside David Warner, but suffered a shoulder injury during the match which cost him some six months.
Hope remained he would be able to string together a long, concussion-free run of form as Australia eyes a long-term replacement at the top or the order but it was not to be.
FOX SPORTS
Nikhil_cric
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Good decision. Finally, common sense has prevailed
sweep_shot
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Had to retire at the age of 26. Tragic.
Played 1 Test for Australia. Scored a fifty.
Played 1 Test for Australia. Scored a fifty.
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Concussion compels Will Pucovski into retirement
Former Australia Test opener Will Pucovski has retired from all levels of cricket at the age of 27.
Pucovski has been forced to retire from professional cricket following a recommendation from a panel of experts. The batter faced a series of incidents where he was hit on the head, causing him concussions, during his career.
The latest episode of concussion happened in March 2024. Pucovski was forced to retire hurt when a delivery hit him on the helmet during a Sheffield Shield match. It sidelined him for the remainder of the Australian summer and led him to withdraw his contract with Leicestershire for the English summer of 2024.
The one-Test player revealed the decision when speaking on SEN Mornings on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to be playing cricket again. It’s been a really difficult year to put it as simply as possible," Pucovski said.
“I’d need a few hours, I think, to take you through the whole journey … but the simple message is I won’t be playing cricket at any level again.
“There’s been an illustrious group of one-Test players. Unfortunately, that’s where my journey ends.”
Last year, a medical panel recommended the 27-year-old retire.
In 36 first-class matches, Pucovski scored 2,350 runs at an average of 45.19, including seven centuries. In his sole Test appearance, against India at Sydney in the 2020/21 season, he made 62 and 10.
ICC
Former Australia Test opener Will Pucovski has retired from all levels of cricket at the age of 27.
Pucovski has been forced to retire from professional cricket following a recommendation from a panel of experts. The batter faced a series of incidents where he was hit on the head, causing him concussions, during his career.
The latest episode of concussion happened in March 2024. Pucovski was forced to retire hurt when a delivery hit him on the helmet during a Sheffield Shield match. It sidelined him for the remainder of the Australian summer and led him to withdraw his contract with Leicestershire for the English summer of 2024.
The one-Test player revealed the decision when speaking on SEN Mornings on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to be playing cricket again. It’s been a really difficult year to put it as simply as possible," Pucovski said.
“I’d need a few hours, I think, to take you through the whole journey … but the simple message is I won’t be playing cricket at any level again.
“There’s been an illustrious group of one-Test players. Unfortunately, that’s where my journey ends.”
Last year, a medical panel recommended the 27-year-old retire.
In 36 first-class matches, Pucovski scored 2,350 runs at an average of 45.19, including seven centuries. In his sole Test appearance, against India at Sydney in the 2020/21 season, he made 62 and 10.
ICC
Bhaijaan
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Farewell brothers.
The memories will stay forever
The memories will stay forever
Savak
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How pathetic as a cricketer are you to be hit on the head so easily as a batsman so many times? It has never happened to anyone else in history which means Pucovski was a shockingly rubbish player
Sachin fan
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Some ways he got concussions
1) Playing football - this was the initial concussion which caused all his later ones as he is now easily suspectible to concussions.
2) walking into a door handle
3) Ball hitting him when fielding because of awkward bounce
4) bat got stuck while running a single
5) Ball from another net hit him while net practice.
Then after all that it's natural for a player to feel tentative against short ball because you cannot play naturally when you are always thinking about your head, which makes you late on shots. It will definitely mentally affect you and give you PTSD from all the time you had it before.
He has revealed he struggles with things on his left side and has difficulty seeing that side well, which is why he loses sight of short balls.
Muhammad Saad
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This is just pure weird luck , probably never happened to any cricketer in the history.
BunnyRabbit
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An awful take. He probably has PTSD or another Stress disorder that got ticked off by his initial concussion.
BunnyRabbit
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In another world, him and Konstas would have made a formidable opening pair in tests.
Muhammad Saad
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Human is an amazing thing , if you believe something bad will happen then it actually happens, that’s why it’s always good to think positive but it’s very difficult if you have chronic stress or PTSD.
RedwoodOriginal
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Very insensitive take
RedwoodOriginal
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Knowing everything we know about concussions and CTE, I just hope he can go on living a normal life. The effect on his mental health will not be great but I just hope there isn't any serious, long-term damage to the brain.
I think he should have made this decision years ago.
I think he should have made this decision years ago.
BunnyRabbit
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Many of his concussions were freak accidents rather than technical deficiencies. If he wasn't a good batter, he wouldn't be averaging 45 in Australian FC where no other opener is averaging even 40 apart from Konstas I think
jamie smith fan
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A bright player ruined by injuries.
RidiculousMan
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As rubbish as your comment here.
TeymurBlake
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Unfortunately news that was forthcoming with the amounts of concussion's he has had to deal with.
Wish him the best of luck for the future.
Wish him the best of luck for the future.
