Former Australian Test opener Will Pucovski, aged 26, has announced his retirement from professional cricket due to a series of injuries sustained throughout his career, primarily from blows to the head resulting in concussions. The most recent incident occurred in March 2024 during a Sheffield Shield match when Riley Meredith struck him on the helmet, forcing him to retire hurt. This injury not only led to Pucovski withdrawing from a contract with Leicestershire for the English summer of 2024 but also prevented him from participating in the remainder of the Australian summer.
In addition to the physical toll of these injuries, Pucovski acknowledged the significant impact they had on his mental and emotional well-being. Despite being offered a contract by his state association, Cricket Victoria, for the 2024/25 season, Pucovski was required to undergo evaluation by a committee comprised of representatives from Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria, and independent medical experts.
Unfortunately, the committee ultimately decided that Pucovski would not be able to continue his professional cricket career, leading to his retirement at the young age of 26.
"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. 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," said the 9News reporter.
Will Pucovski has demonstrated his exceptional talent in the cricket world, scoring an impressive 2,350 runs at an average of 45.19 in 36 first-class matches, including seven centuries. In his debut Test match against India in Sydney during the 2020/21 season, he showcased his skills by scoring 62 and 10 runs. Despite signing a contract with the Melbourne Stars in the same season, Pucovski stands out as the only Australian international cricketer who has yet to play T20 cricket since the inception of the Big Bash League.
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