Former Australia opener Will Pucovski has announced his retirement aged 27 after repeated concussions that have blighted his playing career.
Pucovski, who made 62 and 10 on his lone Test appearance against India at Sydney in January 2021, has not played competitively since March last year, when he was struck on the helmet by a Riley Meredith ball. The accumulation of blows to the head – he has had a dozen known concussions – led to a medical panel advocating retirement, with Pucovski admitting his day-to-day life has changed in the past 12 months.
“I’m not going to be playing cricket again,” Pucovski told SEN Radio. “In the couple of months post that (last concussion) I struggled to get anything done, walking around the house was a struggle. My fiancee 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. I just don’t want to risk doing any more damage to my brain than I’ve already done.
“At 27, I have so much ahead of me and I have so many things I want to achieve in my life. I wanted to play another 15 years and that gets taken away which is bad enough.
“At least I know I won’t get hit in the head again but when the symptoms are ongoing, it’s frightening. My family and friends have noticed a difference in me and that’s scary for me and for them.”
Pucovski has already landed his first post-playing role after being appointed head coach of Victorian Premier Cricket side Melbourne Cricket Club, where he made his first-team debut aged 16 in 2015.
“It’s always been my cricketing home,” he added on the club’s website. “I have always enjoyed playing for the club and now to become coach, it means a lot to me.”
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