Will Pucovski braves it all as NSW pacers hit him where it hurts the most

Victoria batsman Will Pucovski took one hell of a beating in the Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales on Sunday as he was handed lethal body blows from the new ball by Sean Abbott and Trent Copeland. Pucovski took three blows to his abdomen guard, sending him into excruciating pain in the middle of the pitch. The first blow left Pucovski squatting on the ground, clutching his bat in pain while the second blow forced him to walk away in pain. Pucovski made 82 runs off 237 balls, helping Victoria put up 307 runs on board in the first innings. 

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Will Pucovski takes three bulls-eyes

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Puckovski took a break from cricket due to mental health issues

Young batting prodigy Will Pucovski pulled out of contention for a place in Australia's Test team to play Pakistan as he continues to battle mental health issues. The 21-year-old informed management of his decision during Australia A's three-day clash against Pakistan in Perth, which ended in a draw Wednesday and was seen as a "bat-off" with at least two Test spots up for grabs. Pucovski scored five in his only knock. "We applaud Will for having the courage to discuss his situation with team management in Perth," said Cricket Australia's head of national teams Ben Oliver. "Will's decision not to nominate for Test selection was the right one in the circumstances and one that everyone in the Australian cricket family supports." The first Test starts next week in Brisbane, with Australia's squad due to be announced later Thursday.

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Pucovski's decision comes just days after middle-order batsman Nic Maddinson withdrew from Australia A match for similar reasons. That move came after short-format specialist Glenn Maxwell opted to take a "short" break from cricket to deal with similar challenges. Pucovski, who announced himself with a superb 243 for Victoria against Western Australia last season, has a history of mental health battles.

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