Will Pucovski Abandons Cricket At 27 Years

Australia opener Will Pucovski, who played a single Test for Australia, has officially retired from all forms of cricket at the age of 27. The young cricketer revealed that he is still struggling with concussion symptoms he suffered 12 months ago and described the challenging phase as a "difficult year."

Pucovski’s promising career was hampered by a string of concussions. He last played in a Sheffield Shield match in March 2024, where he was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the helmet by a bouncer from Riley Meredith. The batter has experienced “scary” concussion symptoms since that incident.

I'm Not Going to Be Playing Cricket Again - Will Pucovski

Will Pucovski opened up about the severity of his condition following his most recent concussion. The 27-year-old confirmed he won’t be returning to the game at any level. He stated that stepping away from cricket was the right choice.

"I'm not going to be playing cricket again," Pucovski told SEN Radio on Tuesday (April 8). "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 fiancé was annoyed because I didn't contribute to the 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."

Will Pucovski Named Melbourne Head Coach

Will Pucovski made his debut for Australia in a Test match against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2021. The batter scored 62 runs as an opener during the match. However, he suffered a shoulder dislocation while fielding in the same match, requiring surgery and a lengthy recovery.

Pucovski was included in Victoria’s men’s contract list for the 2023–24 season, but he neither trained nor played with the team. An independent medical panel advised that he should stop playing cricket following his last concussion.

He has already begun his coaching and media career. The 27-year-old has been appointed head coach of Melbourne’s men’s team in Victoria’s Premier Cricket competition. He has also joined Channel Seven as a cricket commentator.

The Final Decision Ultimately Was Up to Me - Will Pucovski

However, Pucovski delayed making an official decision. The cricketer said that he wanted to wait until he was free of symptoms before announcing his retirement. He stated that the panel couldn’t force him to retire, but the final decision was with him.

"In my head, I didn't want to make an official call until I was symptom-free," Pucovski said. "When you're struggling, it's hard to make a huge decision. The medical panel recommended I retire, and that was really difficult to come to terms with. I felt like I was coming over the hill with a few things.

"Technically, you can't make anyone retire from anything...it got made clear to me it was a strong recommendation, but the final decision ultimately was up to me.

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