'I really struggle with things on my left side': Former Test opener retires from cricket at 27 due to concussions

Will Pucovski has announced his retirement from cricket at age 27 acter admitting he is still suffering "scary" symptoms from repeated concussions.The 27-year-old has last played Sheffield Shield in March 2024, when he was hit on the helmet from Tasmania fast bowler Riley Meredith.The former batting prodigy has played his only Test in January 2021 against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground, scoring 62 in the first innings."I'm not going to be playing cricket again," Pucovski said on SEN Cricket. It's been a really difficult year, to put it as simply as possible."The simple message is, I won't be playing at any level again."In the couple of months post that [last concussion] I struggled to get anything done, walking around the house was a struggle."My fiancee was annoyed because I didn't contribute to chores. I was sleeping a lot."From there it's been a tough year, a lot of the symptoms didn't go away, which has led me to this decision."The first few months were horrendous, but things didn't leave me."Pucovski also revealed some of the serious side effects of concussion including fatigue, headaches and motion sickness. "There’s the mental health symptoms which is one part of it. Then there’s the fatigue, which is quite bad, I get regular headaches," Pucovski explained."I really struggle with things on my left side. If I have things happening in my left I feel sick and dizzy. I struggle with motion sickness."Yes (it’s scary), at 27, I have so much ahead of me and I have so many things I want to achieve in my life. I wanted to play another 15 years and that gets taken away which is bad enough. At least I know I won't get hit in the head again, but when the symptoms are ongoing, it’s frightening."I know what I was like before these concussions and I know what I am now. My family and friends have noticed a difference in me and that’s scary for me and for them."