Australia batter Will Pucovski retires after concussion struggles, named Melbourne head coach at 27 | Cricket News

After a career ravaged concussion-related struggles Australian batter Will Pucovski on Tuesday confirmed his retirement from cricket, admitting he is still suffering “scary” symptoms.
The Victorian opener last played in the Sheffield Shield in March 2024, and was forced to retire hurt after copping a blow on the helmet from seamer Riley Meredith.
Pucovski stated that his official announcement follows a medical panel’s recommendation for him to retire. The 27-year-old straightaway head into coaching, with Victorian Premier side Melbourne announcing him as their men’s head coach. Pucovski has also taken on a commentary role with Channel Seven.
Story continues below this ad

“I’m not going to be playing cricket again,” Pucovski 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.
“In the couple of months post that (last concussion) I struggled to get anything done, walking around the house was a struggle. My fiancée was annoyed because I didn’t contribute to chores. I was sleeping a lot.
“From there it’s been a tough year, a lot of the symptoms didn’t go away, which has led me to this decision. The first few months were horrendous, but things didn’t leave me.”Story continues below this ad
Considered a massive prospect for Australia this decade, Pucovski struck 62 on his Test debut against India at the SCG in 2021 before being ruled out of the same match with a shoulder injury.
Pucovski concluded his First-Class career with 2,350 runs from 36 matches, with his Sheffield Shield average of 51.40 only two batters who have aggregated at least 1000 runs since his debut in 2017.
In his penultimate game, Pucovski smashed 131 in February 2024 against a quality New South Wales that featured Nathan Lyon and internationally-capped bowlers Jackson Bird and Chris Tremain.
“After that century in Sydney, I thought from a personal point of view things were starting to click for me,” Pucovski said.Story continues below this ad
“I put a mountain of effort into getting things right off the field to be good on the field.
“It had always been my dream to play for Australia, I found myself in that position in 2021. My ambition didn’t stop there. I wanted to be that guy that was a leader of the batting unit. I wanted to play 100 Tests.
“Unfortunately, one Test is where it ends.”