Cricket-Pucovski returning to Shield cricket, hoping for quick Australian comeback

(Reuters) - Exciting batting prospect Will Pucovski hopes to push for a quick comeback to the Australian team when he returns to first-class cricket next week for the first time in more than a year.

Pucovski has endured a long battle with injury and concussion.

He scored 62 in his first innings in his test debut against India in January last year, only to incur a dislocated shoulder in the field in the same match in Sydney.

He has not played a first-class match since, but has been included in the 14-man Victorian squad to play South Australia at Adelaide Oval next week.

The match was confirmed on Friday when Cricket Australia announced a revised Sheffield Shield schedule in a season interrupted by coronavirus-related travel restrictions.

Opening batter Pucovski has suffered 10 concussions during his career, most recently when he was struck by a ball during a net session in October.

He said he hoped to show enough form in Adelaide to push for a place in the Australian team to tour Pakistan next month.

"I'd like to say that if I am playing Shield cricket for Victoria and I've put my name up, I'm ready to go," he told cricket.com.au

"If I'm doing well and put performances on the board then I can't see why I wouldn't be in line to be selected."

(Reporting by Andrew Both; Editing by Robert Birsel)