Victorian batsman Will Pucovski to spend winter working on ways to better handle the short ball
CONCUSSION victim Will Pucovski was back at the Junction Oval watching his Victorian Bushrangers in action, but there’s a cloud hanging over his future.
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CONCUSSION victim Will Pucovski has put his full faith in Victoria’s doctors to guide his recovery as he faces another long stint on the sidelines.
The 20-year-old batsman returned to the Junction Oval on Monday 24 hours after he was hit in the helmet while batting for Victoria in a Sheffield Shield clash with NSW.
Pucovski was subbed out of the game after his third concussion of the summer but despite making what seemed a quick recovery he may not play again for some time.
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He has avoided the need for more tests but will be monitored very closely by medical staff before he gets the chance to play again.
“It was unfortunate but that’s cricket,” Pucovski said on Monday.
“I’m under the supervision of Cricket Victoria’s medical team and we’ll look at my return-to-play options once I have fully recovered.”
The young star is set for a long winter of working on ways to better handle the short ball after suffering a seventh concussion in the past five years.
Pucovski spent time in a dark room on Sunday night and was suffering from headaches after taking the blow from NSW bowler Sean Abbott.
He left the ground with his parents and returned after lunch on Monday to watch day three of the match.
Cricket Victoria general manager Shaun Graf said there was no doubt Pucovski, who made a maiden first class century with 188 against Queensland last month, needed to work on his technique when facing short bowling.
He has been hit on the head three times while batting this summer alone, and has suffered other concussions while fielding, and training.
Most believe Pucovski has the talent to play for Australia, but faces an immediate challenge to ensure the spate of concussions doesn’t continue.
“He’s central to our whole planning for the future. If he can get over this issue with his technique, he should go to the next level,” Graf said.
“We have worked with him and he has worked on his technique.
“On the harder bouncier wickets he has played the short ball well, in Perth and in Brisbane. In Victoria and NSW, we tend to get wickets that skid on a bit … that’s where he came unstuck. He took his eyes off the ball slightly and it crunched in to his helmet.”
Graf said Pucovski had to get better because he was sure to be peppered with shot bowling for the rest of his career and showing a weakness in that area.
“He knows he has got to improve in that area. He is a great trainer, he works really hard,” Graf told RSN on Monday morning.
“The big thing is he has got to face is that over his entire career now he is going to be bounced.
‘We’re very confident in the way he recovered that he won’t be far away from getting back in the nets.”
Pucovski is unlikely to play again this Sheffield Shield season.
Originally published as Victorian batsman Will Pucovski to spend winter working on ways to better handle the short ball
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