Cricket-Pucovski withdraws from Australia squad again

Promising batsman Will Pucovski has ruled himself out of selection for Australia's test series against Pakistan due to "matters pertaining to mental wellbeing", Cricket Australia said on Thursday. The 21-year-old right-hander was in the running to make his test debut but reported the issue to team management in Perth while playing for Australia A against Pakistan, where he was out for five in the first innings and did not bat in the second.

Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s EGM of National Teams, said Australian cricket would always place the wellbeing of its people ahead of performance. “We applaud Will for having the courage to discuss his situation with team management,” he said.

“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." Pucovski, who hit 243 for Victoria in a Sheffield Shield game against Western Australia last year, has previously taken a six-week break from cricket because of mental health issues and left the Australia squad that played Sri Lanka this year for the same reason.

Australia will name their squad later on Thursday for next week's first test in Brisbane.

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