Will Pucovski has taken another step towards making a long-awaited Test debut against India after being cleared of a concussion by an independent neurologist.
Pucovski is in line to join David Warner at the top of Australia's line-up for the third Test, but coach Justin Langer admitted that the young gun was still not a certainty to be named in his side.
"Will saw an independent neurologist, and he has seen a couple now, and I think the real heartening thing for him is whilst he has had a few concussions in the past, and they have come in different ways, it is not necessarily going to have any long-term impact on him," Langer told reporters on Wednesday.
"I think if you can put your mind at rest with that, then that is a real positive for him. He is in a great frame of mind. He is incredibly positive about playing cricket.
"He has trained hard this week. As he and I have discussed a number of times, and I am sure other people have, the only way to get back on the horse is to get back on the horse.
"He, ultimately, is the one that has to make the decision. Everyone will have a different opinion on it. He is the one that has got to walk out there and face the short-pitched bowling, whether it be from India or whether it's from South Australia or whether it's from Western Australia.
"He is the one that has got to have the courage to get back on the horse. He wants to do that and that's a really positive sign moving forward."
Langer also confirmed that Warner would return to the Australian team for the third Test, despite admitting that the 34-year-old would play through "a bit of pain".
"He's done enough (to play) and he's done 10 years of enough," he said told SEN.
"He'll be fine, he's literally a little warrior and worked so hard to get back in (to the side) – his presence and energy in the team is brilliant.
"He has some challenges though; he'll be playing under some pain but it's not something where we think he'll re-hurt himself.
"But he'll have a bit of pain there, he hasn't played any Test cricket for 12 months, but my gosh I'll back him in every day of the week.
"He's a little warrior and I can't wait to see him back in action."
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/will-pucovski-cleared-of-concussion-ahead-of-third-test/f84c543e-66a9-49fa-98f1-c34ee04b186a
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