Australian young gun Will Pucovski will miss tomorrow’s fourth Test against India at the Gabba after failing to overcome a shoulder injury.
After impressing with the bat on debut in the Sydney Test, scoring a valuable half-century in the first innings, Pucovski hurt his shoulder fielding on the final day and failed a fitness test on Thursday morning.
“He tried to train this morning, didn’t quite come up,” captain Tim Paine said.
“He’ll have a bit of work to do with our medicos to see where he goes from here.”
The news is yet another cruel blow to the 22-year-old, whose international debut had already been delayed by concussions and mental-health related breaks from the game.
Pucovski’s Victorian opening partner, Marcus Harris, will come into the side to take the vacant spot at the top of the order alongside David Warner, who has been cleared to play despite being clearly hampered by his groin injury in Sydney.
Harris hasn’t played Test cricket since the 2019 Ashes in England, but started the Sheffield Shield season in excellent form, scoring 355 runs in two matches at an average of 118, including a double century in the Bushrangers’ season opener.
“He’s been working his backside off in our hub, he deserves his opportunity,” Paine said.
“He’s a really relaxed type of character, so he’s one we certainly enjoy having him in and around our group.”
From nine Tests, Harris averages 24 with the bat and is yet to score a century, but the two fifties he’s scored in the baggy green to date came against India in 2018-19.
His inclusion is the only change to the Australian XI for the deciding Test, with the three-pronged pace attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc all earning selection once again despite a gruelling fourth innings in the field in Sydney.
Matt Wade has kept his place in the middle order after a rash shot in the first innings had some questioning whether he should be in the side, while the Gabba match will be Nathan Lyon’s 100th Test.
Lyon will become just the 13th Australian to reach the milestone, joining Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy, David Boon, Steve and Mark Waugh, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.
With the sides tied at 1-1, Australia need to win to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy, while a draw will suffice for India to retain the silverware, having won the last series in Australia in 2018-19.
David Warner
Marcus Harris
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Matthew Wade
Cameron Green
Tim Paine (c, wk)
Pat Cummins
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That's because we rarely pick all-rounders. Our bowlers bat well enough. We have Jhye Richardson, Mitch Marsh, Ashton Agar, Stoin, Aaron Hardie, Cam Green, Jack Wildermuth, Nathan Ellis...we just don't pick them. The only recent one is Cam Green and he rarely gets a bowl.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
If not being picked causes him to lose interest, he is not a suitable candidate for selection. He is in no different boat to Patterson, Abbott, Bird, Sayers, both Richardsons, Worrall (the best of them all?), Steketee, Meredith, Kelly, Boland...
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Head looks like a future Test captain. He might never have looked like it to you but he does to many, including the national selectors. You might be missing something. His back to the wall leadership at SA will provide some necessary information.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Indeed. With lots of space for retrospective geniuses.
sheek
Roar Guru
Don Freo, Head has never looked like a long-term investment. Neither has Wade, for that matter. But we require patience in these things. Head is 26, so he has plenty of time to find his feet, & become a better test player.
sheek
Roar Guru
Rowdy - that's quite alright.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Maybe l remember the back half of his career. I stand to be corrected.
sheek
Roar Guru
Rowdy, That's not correct. Mark played some gutsy innings, especially earlier in his career. I don't know what happened in the latter part of his career. He lost interest, & only did enough to keep his place. So, I agree with that part of your statement. But it's a broad & incorrect statement to say he didn't try at all, which is your inference. Sometimes, he did care, but just not often enough. The world cup is a different beast, but headlines at the time proclaimed Mark 'Waugh of India' back at the 1996 world cup. He hit 484 at almost 86 with 3 centuries in 7 innings. He was Australia's outstanding batsman in that series.
sheek
Roar Guru
Jameswm, I’m thinking the policy in England was a failure. Siddle played 3 tests for 7 wickets, I think, but I think the idea was more to rotate the burden than ‘horses for courses’. Anyway, I think you best your best XI every time, barring injury/illness, although there was an argument to give a Neser a run to see how he went. But as we know, selection is an imprecise science.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Silly me
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
My comment didn't include the obligatory silly face... Actually shows just how low the bar is for allrounders. There is really only 4 serious allrounders in the world ATM.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Best form seems to be as an opener though...
SurlyWriter
Roar Rookie
Such a shame about Puc. I’m sure he’ll find his way back at the top or number 5 as soon as he recovers. What for this test though? A bit left field but we all know Smithy loves to prove people wrong and he’s copped a barrage this week. Steve to open by himself and score 600...
SurlyWriter
Roar Rookie
Takes over the number 5?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I seem to recall him fighting most diligently against the saffies in Adelaide early 1998 to save us a test and preserve our lead to win the series. And this after a match winning ton the previous test that actually gave us the series lead in Sydney.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
And these Windies figures would be interesting to look at.
jameswm
Roar Guru
One thing I don't get Sheek is we used the horses for courses theory when picking our bowlers for the last Ashes series in England, so why not now? Home deck, suits accuracy, tough last day only 3 days ago, it's the right time. 3 days is a pretty short turnaround. We could also lose the toss and spend the first day and a half in the field.
Andy
Roar Rookie
Starc has much better figures in Brisbane than Sydney so I wouldn’t be so worried.
Andy
Roar Rookie
Must be annoying for pucovski, as he’s made a good debut and now has to be on the bench AGAIN due to injury. Especially interesting to see what would happen if Harris made a century. Wade will definitely be under the pump in this game, needs to dumb dismissals and at least a decent score to hold off head.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
When was the last time Starc got a 10 wicket haul? Answer ... 2019 against Sri Lanka (+ 2016, also against Sri Lanka).