Australia cricket news 2024: Will Pucovski may have played his last professional cricket match, concussion history, details

Will Pucovski may have played his last professional cricket match.

That is according to a report from Code Sports, which claims that Victorian cricket players and officials are “increasingly resigned” to the idea.

It was reported in March earlier this year that an expert medical panel would come together to discuss Pucovski’s playing future after he suffered a blow to the head in a Sheffield Shield match, with that incident only adding to the 26-year-old’s long history of concussions.

While Cricket Victoria performance chief Graham Manou told Code Sports this week that the “expert panel has met” and is “currently working through the findings”, the publication added that sources said Victorian players are not expecting Pucovski to return to the field.

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Cricket Victoria announced in early May that it had retained Pucovski in its squad for 2024-25, although there was always the expectation that was pending medical advice.

It comes after Pucovski was forced to retire hurt in March when he was hit in the helmet by a bouncer while playing in the Sheffield Shield.

It was a particularly crushing development considering Pucovski had only scored a century while playing against New South Wales the month prior, marking his first first-class hundred in more than three years as a reminder of what the Victorian is capable of.

Pucovski’s talent has never been in question though, with the 26-year-old struggling to overcome concussion setbacks throughout his career while he also took a six-week break from cricket during the 2018/19 home summer to deal with mental health issues.

Pucovski had been set to play in the first five rounds of the County Championship this year but had that stint cancelled by Leicestershire, which allowed him to focus on recovering from his latest concussion.