Will Pucovski has returned to Melbourne following another concussion, as Cricket Victoria calls for calm on speculation over the talented batter's future.
The 24-year-old was subbed out of Victoria's Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval after a volleyball hit him on the head during a team warm-up on Saturday.
It was the 11th concussion of Pucovski's frequently interrupted career.
The one-time Australian Test opener was playing his first match for Victoria since he suffered his last concussion during a training session last October.
Pucovski will now rest before any further update is provided on his condition.
Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins and coach Chris Rogers have labelled calls for Pucovski to retire premature.
"A lot of hot takes about Pucovski's concussion and supposed inability to play the short ball," Cummins wrote on Twitter.
"The concussion occurred during the warm up when he was hit by a soccer/volleyball.
Rogers said the Victorian squad was hurting for Pucovski, who was again placed in a "delicate situation".
"He's pretty aware of how this was going to play out, from that point of view he was pretty devastated and knows he'll have to face some tough questions," Rogers said.
"But as a team, we're going to support him with everything he chooses to do."
Pucovski scored an encouraging 54 in Victoria's first innings, opening the batting with Marcus Harris.
But he left the field after the first over on Saturday, reporting concussion symptoms to team medical staff, before being replaced by substitute Travis Dean.
"It was pretty unlucky," Harris told ABC Sport of Pucovski's concussion.
Pucovski made his one Test appearance against India at the SCG in January 2021.
He scored 62 but also suffered a shoulder injury in the field that required surgery and sidelined him for six months.
Pucovski suffered his first concussion when playing Australian rules football at school.
In Pucovski's first-class debut in 2017, he was hit on the head in the field and could not bat in the second innings.
When fit and playing consistently, Pucovski would be a lock in Australia's Test XI.
He has a first-class average of 53.42 from 25 matches with a highest score of 255 not out.
AAP/ABC
