“Now they feel as though they’re indestructible,” Brukner said. “They can just look at the ball straight on and if they miss it hits their helmet. Even talking to the players who straddled the pre- and post-helmet era,they’ll say the same thing,they rarely got hit until they wore a helmet.

“I’m not suggesting we give helmets away,but we need to think about technique. Helmets are obviously very good at preventing serious head injury,like fractured skulls.

“They’re not good at preventing concussion. That’s the American football experience as well. I think you’re more likely to take risky behaviours on the field. It’s a real problem.”

Batting at number three it was just his second ball of Victoria’s second innings after Nic Maddinson (109) and Marcus (76) had an opening partnership of 178.

Little more than a month ago Pucovski was struck on the helmet batting for the Victorian second XI against South Australia in Adelaide and retired hurt but later returned to the crease and completed his innings after passing a concussion Test. He made 89.

In his previous Shield match last month Pucoviski scored a composed 131,batting for more than five hours against NSW.

Pucovski made his Test debut three years ago against India,scoring a polished 62,but was later ruled out for the remainder of that season after suffering a shoulder injury in the field.

Sports news,results and expert commentary.Sign up for our Sport newsletter.