Pucovski opts out of Australia squad for mental health reasons

CANBERRA: Australia’s Will Pucovski has been released to return home from the Canberra Test after asking to continue his progression from mental health issues that he faced earlier this summer.

Having been picked to face Sri Lanka, Pucovski was left out of the XI for both Brisbane and Canberra Tests, leaving him in limbo on the fringes of the squad away from home.This followed his withdrawal from the Victoria Sheffield Shield team at the start of the season, in the wake of a double-century against Western Australia in Perth that underlined his outsized batting talent. In subsequent weeks, Pucovski worked with numerous experts on his mental health, but had played only one more Shield game before he was chosen by the selectors and the coach Justin Langer, who then left him out of the XI.

“Will Pucovski has been released from the Test squad and will return home to Melbourne to continue managing his well being,” team doctor Richard Saw said. “He reported some challenges over the past few days, and the decision has been made that the best thing for Will’s welfare is for him to return home to Melbourne.”“Will has been proactive in this process and while he has made significant progress, he feels this is the best course of action to get ready to play cricket for Victoria.”

Pucovski batted later than the rest of the squad in the nets two days before the start of the inaugural Test at Manuka Oval, and then on match eve spent a long time walking laps of the oval with a member of the team support staff, Andrew Weller.“Will’s decision to speak up and continue to ask for assistance in managing his ongoing mental health is extremely positive,” Saw said.