Career at crossroads – again – for out-of-contract Will Pucovski after another concussion

After another heartbreaking headknock, speculation is swirling about whether or not Will Pucovski can keep trying to return to cricket. BEN HORNE and DANIEL CHERNY try to unpack what happens next for one of the brightest prospects of his generation.

Will Pucovski’s playing future is again likely to be left in the hands of medicos with the one-Test batter’s latest concussion falling against the backdrop of an expiring contract with Victoria.

Two years ago, a joint medical panel was assembled by Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria to determine whether Pucovski should be allowed to keep playing after he was struck by a volleyball warming up before playing during a Sheffield Shield game.

A similar approach is again on the cards after Pucovski was hit on the helmet by Tasmanian fast bowler Riley Meredith and ruled out of the Sheffield Shield match with another concussion.

He will miss the Vics’ next Shield game against Western Australia under concussion protocols and is no guarantee to return for the final should the Vics qualify.

He is out-of-contract beyond the end of the season, while a planned county stint with Leicestershire in April is also under a cloud.

Luckless Victorian Will Pucovski, again hit by a short ball. He's gone off, retired hurt. Awful to see. @9NewsMelbpic.twitter.com/sp1YtP5Owd

— Trent Kniese (@trent_kniese) March 3, 2024

The upshot is that the brightest batting prospect of his generation is no guarantee to play again for his state, or even at all.

Pucovski’s situation is incredibly complicated and there has been considerable leaping to conclusions over the years about a picture that only a select few can describe with full clarity.

It’s not a simple matter of adding up Pucovski’s long list of concussions which now numbers 13, and say he should never play the game again, because the official version of events is that not all of the head collisions are likely to have been actual concussions.

Following the 2022 incident and subsequent investigation, CV said that “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.”

It is not as straightforward as the NRL’s Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner who finished up following repeated concussions or the AFL’s Angus Brayshaw who was forced to retire last month after scan results showed his brain health had deteriorated.

Will Pucovski leaves the field after being struck during the Sheffield Shield match on Sunday. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images.

However, the physical impacts of all these head knocks is only one part of the equation that must be considered.

Is it good for Pucovski’s overall health and wellbeing for him to keep going through the anguish of Groundhog Day?

The complexity of this troubling story isn’t just affecting Pucovski anymore either, but his state, CA, his teammates and his opponents.

This has been a relatively positive season for Pucovski in terms of the amount of cricket he’s been able to string together compared to previous years, and yet he has still missed or been ruled out of two of his past three matches due to concussion related symptoms.

How much longer can this level of uncertainty be sustained, not just for him but for others?

Put yourself in the shoes of promising fast bowler Meredith.

That would not have been a nice situation to be in, watching Pucovski on his haunches, visibly struggling after being hit by a ball you have delivered.

Fast bowlers have a job to do to follow bowling plans in order to take wickets, limit scoring and generally speaking, make life uncomfortable for the batsman at the crease.

If you cross the white line to take guard there is an expectation that you are fair game to be targeted, within the laws of cricket.

Will Pucovski is checked by medical staff after being struck by a delivery from Riley Meredith during the Sheffield Shield match on March 3 in Hobart. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images.

But it would be understandable if fast bowlers didn’t feel entirely comfortable pitching in short to Pucovski.

That’s not saying Pucovski has a technical issue against the short ball that teams are specifically trying to exploit, but the fact is when Pucovski is hit on the helmet, because of his history, it’s a massive deal.

There is an impact on Pucovski’s teammates who are sharing in this challenging journey, his employers at CV and the governors of the game, CA.

In his recent podcast chat with broadcaster Adam White for CV, Pucovski admitted that he – not so long ago – came as close as anyone could come to retiring from the game, before resolving to give it another crack.

Not for the first time, Pucovski’s future is again at a crossroads.

Originally published as Career at crossroads – again – for out-of-contract Will Pucovski after another concussion