Pucovski faces tough questions but too early to say he should quit cricket: Rogers

Sydney, Feb 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Sheffield Shield side Victoria's coach Chris Rogers has said that young Australian cricketer Will Pucovski faces some tough questions about his professional career after another concussion injury, but warned that it is premature for people to say that the player should walk away from elite cricket.

The 24-year-old Pucovski will probably have to spend some more time on the sidelines, as his return to the national side got pushed back further after he suffered an 11th concussion in his comeback game on February 12.

Pucovski, who had suffered 10 concussions before the latest episode, got injured before the final day's play of the Sheffield Shield match between his side, Victoria's XI, and South Australia in Adelaide. He reportedly showed concussion symptoms while fielding.

Pucovski missed the entire Ashes series, which Australia won 4-0 under new Test skipper Pat Cummins. He had also missed the first half of the domestic season due to lingering concussion symptoms from a knock he took during a training session in October last year. He also underwent a shoulder-reconstruction surgery last year.

Commentators and cricket experts opined after his concussion on February 12 that the Test-capped opener should retire given his history of concussions.

But former Test opener Rogers, also a former opener, said it was too early to say anything and pledged the team's support for the 24-year-old.

"It's far too early to be speculating on that," Rogers told cricket.com.au on Sunday when asked if Pucovski should heed suggestions and call it a day. "I'm not a doctor, I'm not a specialist in this area so clearly he needs to talk to a few people and from there we'll assess what needs to happen.

"He's not at all unaware of the situation and the noise that surrounds these concussions. 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 over the next period. But as a team, we're going to support him with everything he chooses to do. It's a really delicate situation with his history and everything he's gone through. From here, it's going to be a really important period for Will," said Rogers.

It is not known how Pucovski suffered the latest concussion, but Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins was reported as saying that it happened during a "casual game of solleyball" -- a hybrid of soccer and volleyball.

"He just got a slight knock to the head and he seemed okay for a while, he finished the warm-up and then the symptoms started to appear so he started to deteriorate when he (went) back out in the sun and the bright light," Rogers said.

"Then he returned to the rooms and the medical staff got involved and thought that was the right way to go. He wanted to see if he could go out and have a hit in the nets, but the symptoms were there and in the end he spoke to the doctor and he felt that, with his history, it probably wasn't worth it."

Source: IANS