Ashes 2021-22: Huge Blow To Australia As Will Pucovski Set To Miss First Few Games Of The Series

Star Australian batsman Will Pucovski is all set to miss the start of the marquee Ashes 2021-22 series as he hasn’t yet returned to the nets after his 10th concussion.

The 23-year-old will not play for Victoria against NSW at the MCG in a Sheffield Shield match which will commence this Friday. Also, it has been told that Pucovski was the front runner to open the innings with David Warner in the Ashes but he won’t be available for selection for the first few games.

Meanwhile, Victorian coach Chris Rogers has said that they want Pucovski back in the team and they will take the decision in his best interest as they want him to represent the country for a long period.

“He hasn’t quite recovered as well as hoped. In discussions with the medical team and the national selectors, it was felt we would give him a bit more time to select him to play for Victoria.”

“He hasn’t started hitting the nets, I think that was the main concern. It’s really difficult just to walk into one of these games unprepared. All the people who are in these conversations understand we have an immense talent on our hands and we want him to be playing for five to 10 years so these are the decisions we are going to make in his best interests to set him up to have a long career.”

No Doubt It’s A Setback, I’d Say Now It’s Unlikely He’d Play In The First Test – Chris Rogers On Will Pucovski

Rogers further added that it’s a big setback for Australia with Pucovski not being fully fit to compete. He was hoping that Pucovski plays the Victorian second XI game so that he can prepare himself for the Ashes games in the middle of the series. He elaborated:

“No doubt it’s a setback. I’d say now it’s unlikely he’d play in the first Test. Hopefully, if we play a third Shield game in mid-November and there may be a second XI game for Victoria as well that might prepare him for one of the matches in the middle of the Ashes series. that’s the best-case scenario.”

“He was very positive about how it was all tracking and pretty hopeful of playing soon. But he felt this match was a touch too early,” Victorian coach Chris Rogers.

Rogers added that Pucovski hasn’t played for seven months and walking back to play against strong opposition will not be easy for him. He said:

“He hasn’t played for seven months. You have to walk straight back in the cauldron and perform against very good opposition, that would have been playing on his mind,”

Rogers revealed that there is a “strong desire” to get Will Pucovski back into the Australian team, but they will not try to rush him. He asserted:

“Of course he wants to play for Australia for a long time to come. There’s a strong desire to get him into that Australian side, he’s such a talented player.”

“I think the decision is to look after him and allow him a bit more time to prepare at the right time rather than rush him to matches which are going to have a lot of intensity and scrutiny.”

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