Melbourne, Aug 29 : Australia batter Will Pucovski has been forced to retire from cricket at the age of 26 due to medical reasons. Pucovski's cricketing career has been marred by multiple concussions after being struck on the head by bouncers.

A report by 9News Melbourne has said Pucovski's playing career has ended following a recommendation from a panel of medical experts made a couple of months ago. The medical panel comprised representatives from Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria, and independent medical experts. It added that the decision has only been formalised contractually by Cricket Victoria this week.

Touted as future batting prodigy, Pucovski played just one Test for Australia - against India at Sydney in 2021, where he made 62 and 10, before a shoulder injury ruled him out of cricketing action for six months. Overall, Pucovski scored 2,350 runs in 36 first-class matches at an average of 45.19.

The report also said Pucovski hasn't made an appearance at Victoria's pre-season training and is instead travelling overseas. In March 2024, Pucovski was concussed for an alarming 12th time since 2017 and forced to retire hurt after Riley Meredith hit him on the helmet during a Sheffield Shield match for his state team Victoria against Tasmania at the Blundstone Arena in Hobart.

That concussion ruled him out of the rest of the Australian summer and even forced him to opt out of a short-term contract with Leicestershire for the ongoing English summer. The long series of concussions also meant Pucovski had his share of mental health battles, and even took an extended break from the game in 2022, before returning to action in October 2023. Pucovski is also a rare Australian men's international cricketer to have never played T20 cricket since the commencement of the Big Bash League (BBL).

/IANS