Australian batter Will Pucovski has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, effective immediately, following a long battle with recurring concussion symptoms.
Pucovski, 27, made his Test debut for Australia in January 2021 against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground, scoring 62 runs in his first innings. Despite his early promise, his international career was limited to a single Test appearance.
The Victoria batter’s career has been repeatedly interrupted by concussion-related issues, with reports indicating he suffered more than a dozen concussions over the years. These persistent health concerns ultimately led to his decision to retire.
Pucovski also represented Victoria in domestic cricket and was widely regarded as one of Australia’s brightest batting prospects before his career was derailed by injuries.
Cricket Australia and his state team paid tribute to his contributions and wished him well in his post-cricket life.
Pucovski last played in the Sheffield Sheild in 2024 when he was hit by a Riley Meredith bouncer and mentioned that he hasn’t been the same since then, experiencing ‘scary’ symptoms. After recommendations from multiple doctors, Pucovski has decided to call it a day and swiftly moved into coaching with the Victoria Premier side Melbourne.
“I’m not going to be playing cricket again,” Pucovski, who played just one Test match in his career, told SEN on Tuesday. “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 added while elaborating on what and how far and beyond the symptoms affected him. (NewsWire)