MELBOURNE: Australian Test opening batsman Will Pucovski will undergo reconstructive surgery on his injured right shoulder next week in order to be fully fit for the Ashes.
Pucovski suffered a shoulder subluxation injury in the Sydney Test against India in January and was eventually ruled out of the fourth and final Test.
Pucovski had later turned to cortisone injections in order to return to the field. The right-handed batsman was named in the Cricket Victoria squad for the Marsh Sheffield Shield clash this week.
He began training for the match against New South Wales but experienced some soreness and was ruled out of the encounter. According to cricket.com.au Pucovski's recovery time is expected to take four to six months.
"The medical advice is this is the best way forward for Will to prepare him for the 2021-22 season," cricket.com.au quoted Cricket Victoria's General Manager of Cricket Shaun Graf as saying.
"We'll work closely with Will throughout his rehabilitation and look forward to seeing him back playing for Victoria and Australia later this year," he added.
Earlier this month, Australia's three-match Test tour of South Africa was postponed due to an 'unacceptable' coronavirus risk.
The Australian board had said that travelling from Australia to South Africa at this current time would have had an unacceptable level of health and safety risk to the visiting players.