Australia Test opening batter Will Pucovski has retired from cricket across all levels immediately after suffering a concussion. Pucovski was compelled to retire from professional cricket based on the advice of an independent panel. The batter had suffered a succession of accidents where he had been struck on the head and sustained concussions during his playing career. The most recent incident of concussion occurred in March 2024. Pucovski had to retire injured when a delivery struck him on the helmet while playing in a Sheffield Shield game. It ruled him out for the rest of the Australian summer and prompted him to pull his contract with Leicestershire for the English summer of 2024, according to ICC.
Pucovski Opens Up About Difficult Decision
The 27-year-old exclusively revealed the news on SEN’s Whateley on Tuesday morning.”I wish I was coming in under better circumstances. I’m not going to be playing cricket again. It’s been a really difficult year to put it as simply as possible. The simple message is, I won’t be playing at any level again,” Pucovski said on SEN Whateley.
“After that century in Sydney (in my second last game), I thought from a personal point of view things were starting to click for me. I put a mountain of effort into getting things right off the field to be good on the field,” he added.
Will Pucovski said “The simple message is, I won’t be playing cricket at any level again.”
A year ago, a panel of doctors advised the 27-year-old to retire form playing cricket anymore.
A Brief Yet Promising Career
He played 36 times at First Class level, with seven tons and nine fifties during a promising career for his state that included a highest score of 255 not out against South Australia in 2020.
In his only Test outing against India at Sydney during the 2020/21 season, he contributed 62 and 10.
Transitioning Into Coaching at Melbourne Cricket Club
Pucovski added that he will continue in cricket as head coach of Premier Cricket team Melbourne, the same club where he played his First XI debut as a teenager in the 2014/15 summer.
“It’s definitely something that I’m really passionate about. I’m going to be coaching the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club) next year, which is really exciting. It’s always felt like a second home to me and I’ve always felt the love and support from the MCC while playing at higher levels or playing for them.
“I’ve been around there since I was 11 or 12 with their junior academy and all the way through. Coaching is always something that I’ve always wanted to scratch that itch with. I’m really excited to give that a go and see where it takes me,” Pucovski said.
