“It’s always nice to get amongst the runs;a lot of hard work goes into what you do out on the field,” Pucovski said. “It’s good,especially bouncing back after a little hiccup a couple of weeks ago with the concussion. To bounce back and get a hundred is always really pleasing.”
Upon reaching three figures,Pucovski raised his eyes to the heavens,as far as possible from the mental health “demons” that have kept him grounded for much of the past three years.
Since his highly promising Test debut in January 2021,it’s been a hard road for Pucovski,as a shoulder injury gave way to further concussions and the eventual realisation that mental health problems were the greatest obstacle he faced.
But against a Blues attack featuring Nathan Lyon as well as stalwarts Chris Tremain and Jackson Bird,Pucovski played with the combination of correct technique and steely resolve that had first marked him as a long-term player of the future.
Further such performances will put him firmly back in the selectors’ thoughts sooner rather than later,especially as none of Matt Renshaw,Cameron Bancroft or Marcus Harris have entirely convinced.
“I think,to be honest,in recent times more so than ever ... probably for the first time in my life,I truly believe I could do it and do it over an extended period,” Pucovski told Adam White before the game about his ambitions to return to Test cricket.