A meeting on Thursday could determine the next steps in Will Pucovski’s return to cricket, with the young batting star keen to play on despite suffering an 11th concussion.
Pucovski, 24, has played just one first class innings since his Test debut in January 2021 after first a shoulder injury and then two concussions in the space of three months – the second coming after his return to the Sheffield Shield earlier this month.
His 10th concussion, sustained in October on the eve of his comeback, forced him to the sidelines for nearly two months and the 11th came after being struck by a volleyball before play on the xjmtzywfinal day of the Shield clash with South Australia on February 12.
Meetings between his own doctors and Cricket Australia medical staff could yet determine whether Pucovski takes an extended break from the game amid calls from some for him to retire to look after his long-term health.
But Victorian coach Chris Rogers confirmed Pucovski was keen to play on and had been hanging around his teammates during this week’s Shield clash at the Junction Oval.
Rogers said he would be chatting with Pucovski on Thursday to “make sure everything is OK”.
“There’s conversations that are happening in the background. Will has indicated he wants to keep playing,” Rogers told SEN.
“We just have to weigh up everything that is happening at the moment. He’s been in and around the Junction Oval a few times over the four days of the Shield game, and he’s coming in tomorrow (Thursday) to have a chat and we will see how he’s going.
“He’s pretty hopeful. We just have to have those conversations and make sure everything is OK. I’m sure that will play out.
Pucovski’s most recent concussion came after just a glancing blow from a volleyball but was enough for the Vics to sub him out of the Shield game.
“It was hard enough,” Victorian captain Peter Handscomb said.
Handscomb said only Pucovski and doctors should make the call about what to do next.
“It’s a shame to see what’s happened with Puck again, but we are just trying to get him healthy and happy again. I don’t know what that looks like or what it will take” he said ahead of Victoria’s next Shield clash against Queensland starting on Friday in Melbourne.
“We’ve got to leave it up to people a lot smarter than me. I don’t know much about the brain.
