Talented Australian opener Will Pucovski has reportedly been forced to retire from professional cricket at the age of 26 on advice from a panel of medical experts. The Victorian batter, who was once regarded as the next major hitting star, may see his career cut short due to persistent run-ins with concussions.
Once a batting prodigy, he ascended through the ranks to make the Australian Test squad in 2019. Despite representing Australia in Test cricket, he has suffered numerous head injuries throughout his career.
He has only played for the national squad once, against India in the 2021 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. He hit a brilliant 62 on his Test debut but was eventually bowled by fast bowler Navdeep Saini via lbw.
However, Pucovski's career has been plagued by frequent concussions, which have slowed his progress to the top. As a result, he will take an extended vacation from the sport in 2022.
He last played in a first-class game for Victoria against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield in Hobart. During the game, Australian pacer Riley Meredith chose a short ball that struck the hitter on the helmet.
According to Nine New's Tom Morris, the 26-year-old will resign following a recommendation from a panel of medical specialists.
“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 formalize that contractually. 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 traveling overseas,” Morris said on Nine News.
Pucovski's downfall has been attributed to more than simply concussions. A previous medical panel in 2022 determined that some of Pucovski's brain injuries were "not true concussions" and were more likely the result of stress or trauma responses.
Many believed he would be able to overcome his injury problems since many predicted him to be the next major Australian opener after David Warner. However, Pucovski's career serves as a sharp reminder of how fortunate one must be to play cricket at the greatest level.
