Will Pucovski’s Victorian teammates are leaving him to rest, just hoping the luckless batter will make a full recovery after his 11th concussion.
The 24-year-old was subbed out of Victoria’s Sheffield Shield game after a volleyball hit him on the head during a warm-up on Saturday.
It was the latest frustrating and concerning head knock of Pucovski’s frequently-interrupted but hugely promising career.
Victoria captain Peter Handscomb was left devastated for Pucovski, who was making his first-class comeback after suffering his previous concussion in October.
There were immediate calls in the media for him to retire, or take a long break from the game, after the incident at the Adelaide Oval, but Handscomb believes only Pucovski and doctors should decide that.
“I’ve texted him briefly, but trying not inundate him with messages – I’m sure he’s had a lot over the last few days,” Handscomb said.
“We’ve got to leave it up to people a lot smarter than me, I don’t know much about the brain.
“First and foremost, we just want him to be healthy and happy.
“It was just a bit of a shock because he wasn’t prepared for it, wasn’t ready for it, so it’s just knocked him around a little bit.
“As a group, we just want him to get better, whatever that takes, I don’t know.”
Pucovski scored an encouraging 54 in Victoria’s first innings, opening the batting with Marcus Harris.
But he left the field after the first over of the final day, reporting concussion symptoms to team medical staff, and was replaced by Travis Dean.
Pucovski made his one Test appearance against India at the SCG in January 2021, scoring 62 but also suffering a shoulder injury in the field that required surgery and sidelined him for six months.
He suffered his first concussion when playing Australian Rules Football at school.
When fit and playing consistently, Pucovski would be a lock in Australia’s Test team.
He has a first-class average of 53.42 from 25 matches with a top-score of 255 not out.
Cricket Victoria general manager Shaun Graf on Monday said Pucovski was determined to keep playing.
“He’s realistic about it, but he’s still very much in the corner that he wants to keep playing and we’ll support that,” Graf told SEN.
“However, if the medical advice is contrary to that, we need to have a very hard discussion.”
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Ah, so. I ain't been to Melbourne, as a visit, for sometime. Yes, Abbott and Costello, in the hands of Puppet Meister, Murdoch.
Clear as mud
Guest
Herald and age
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Costello papers?
Clear as mud
Guest
Story in the Costello papers this week. Can’t post it
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Those close calls Rowdy come to the surface when l hear some poor bugger taken by these magnificent scary as hell creatures. As lovely as the ocean is we always need to remember we as in me are the slow seal. Clumsy we splash a lot & the ocean is the dinner plate & we are the pork on a fork.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I had a close call at West Beach, Adelaide, in 1978. I was off my face with my mate and one of my bros. I saw 2 fins; both vertical. I scrammed out of the water telling, yelling, to them to get out. I was freaked. ——- Next thing l know 300 metres out to sea a catamaran was waving to me. It was those two with the yacht owner. They got back and said they had asked me if I wanted to go. Apparently I didn’t answer so they left me there. I lost about 20 minutes being freaked out about the shark.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Apart from being my last hurrah l didn’t want to see it smile as it lunged at me, thank goodness!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Glad you got back to the finish. It could’ve been your final act but not a fitting finale.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Reminds me when l was in Fiji on one of the 300 odd islands (Castaway Island) a majestic place. I headed out on a kayak on one beautiful clear day. Didn’t tell the locals on island to my regret but live to tell the tale. It took roughly a hr of paddling aiming for a tiny deserted island. Arrived then decided l better head back. As l was taking in the beautiful scenery a large fin came to the surface then it’s bloody tail did a backflip roughly 50 meters to my right. I froze then after 5 min but a must admit Rowdy it felt like 5 hrs had passed l sped like a my life depended on it. Got to shore & told the local Fijians & they nearly fainted & told me lots of tiger sharks your lucky your in one piece :shocked:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Sheesh
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Jake gylannhaal was brilliant in that film. A great example of one’s self conscious during adolescence.
Curmudgeon1961
Roar Rookie
Donny Darko?
Curmudgeon1961
Roar Rookie
Thou shall not worship false Dogs
Curmudgeon1961
Roar Rookie
The day on my bike I saw a paramedic in his green and white ambo on the phone I thought ah well thats it.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Ouch
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I actually thought this could be Hockley the CA boss instead of the CIA one. Perhaps Burn After Reading is the story of Hockley, Langer and Cummins.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Tim Finn :stoked:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Lawyers make the rules and the money. They get big payouts. The Insurers don’t like the payouts. They put their premiums up. The League / Association/ Boards then change the rules to bring the premiums down. Part of why the NRL caught up with AFL on head-highs in 2013
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I have hands free only for answering. Checkout YouTube with drivers on their phone.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Cummins kept in shape physically, which Pucovski could do.