Australia's Will Pucovski 'forced to retire' at 26: Here's why
Australian cricketer Will Pucovski's promising career has been cut short due to medical reasons, as reported by Nine's Tom Morris. The 26-year-old player is set to retire following advice from a panel of medical experts. This decision comes after Pucovski sustained several head injuries, with the most recent concussion in March marking a turning point in his cricket journey.
Medical panel's retirement recommendation for Pucovski
Morris revealed that an independent panel of experts had advised Pucovski to retire three months ago. The final step in this process is for Cricket Victoria and his team to officially confirm this decision. "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," Morris stated on Nine News.
Pucovski's absence from training hints at retirement
Pucovski's teammates were not surprised by the news of his impending retirement, as he has been absent from all pre-season training sessions. "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 added. This further indicates that the young cricketer is preparing to step away from his professional cricket career.
Pucovski's head injuries linked to stress or trauma responses
In 2022, a medical panel concluded that some of Pucovski's head injuries were not actual concussions but were more likely related to stress or trauma responses. This finding suggests that the young cricketer's health issues extend beyond physical injuries sustained on the field. The panel's conclusion adds another layer of complexity to Pucovski's premature retirement from cricket.
Pucovski's brief but impactful career
Pucovski made a significant impact on Australian cricket when he was selected for the January 2019 Test squad before turning 21. He played his only Test against India at the SCG, scoring 62 and 10 as an opener alongside David Warner. However, a shoulder injury during this match sidelined him for about six months, further disrupting his cricket career. Overall, Pucovski finishes with 2,350 runs across 36 FC games at 45.19. He also scored 333 List A runs at 27.75.
Phil Hughes passed away due to similar injury
It must be noted that Pucovski's compatriot Phillip Hughes passed away due to a similar injury. The left-handed batter breathed his last a few days later after being hit by a Sean Abbott bouncer in a 2014 Sheffield Shield match. He was hit on the neck as injury caused vertebral artery dissection which led to subarachnoid haemorrhage. Notably, Hughes passed away at just 25.
