Will's exit unrelated to selection: Langer

Australia coach Justin Langer has dismissed suggestions the non-selection of young batter Will Pucovski in Tests against Sri Lanka was a contributing factor in the mental well-being challenges that resurfaced this week.

Pucovski, who turns 21 today, was released from the men's Test squad of which he's been a member for the past two weeks and flew home to Melbourne last night as part of a management plan put in place by Pucovski, Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria.

The batting prodigy was able to spend his birthday with his family, and will begin preparations for a return to Premier Cricket with Melbourne and then potentially Victoria's next JLT Sheffield Shield game against Queensland starting in three weeks.

Cricket Australia doctor Richard Saw said the decision for Pucovski to leave the 14-man squad following the first day's play of the second Domain Series Test against Sri Lanka at Canberra's Manuka Oval was made in consultation with many people

"He reported some challenges over the past few days, and the decision has been made that the best thing for Will’s welfare is for him to return home to Melbourne," Saw said.

"Will has been proactive in this process and while he has made significant progress, he feels this is the best course of action to get ready to play cricket for Victoria."

Pucovski was selected in the initial squad for the two-Test Sri Lanka series to which another uncapped batter, Kurtis Patterson, was subsequently added.

Patterson was then chosen for his debut in the day-night Test played in Brisbane last week, while Pucovski remained with the squad in the lead-up to the Canberra Test.

However, Langer said today that while the decision to elevate Patterson above Pucovski might have prompted much media speculation, he did not believe it played a role in the issues that the Victorian reported to men's team medical staff over recent days.

"I don't think that (discussion about selection) has anything to do with it," Langer told ABC Radio Grandstand prior to play resuming at Manuka Oval this morning.

"He and I have had a lot of really good conversations. There's a lot of hype, but that's the Australian cricket team.

"I've been fascinated by the scrutiny coming into the (coaching) job. I've been in this business for 25 years and I'm feeling it, so I can only imagine how some of the young guys are feeling about all the scrutiny.

"I think it would be great experience for him (Pucovski) to have stepped into the jungle for a couple of weeks and see what it's like, and I'm sure in the future he's a good young player and he'll get another chance."

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Kevin Roberts also revealed today that the organisation is examining the possibilities of establishing a form of "home base" for players and support staff during the upcoming World Cup and Ashes campaigns in the UK.

Roberts said the demands on all members of men's and women's touring parties heading to Britain – where some men's players and staff involved in both the World Cup and Ashes legs are likely to be based for more than four months – called for new solutions.

"We're actually having discussions now about 'well, what can we do to establish a bit of a sense of a home base in the UK for those players who are there, and for our support staff who are there for such a long time?'," Roberts told SEN Radio today.

"How can we get their families in perhaps, more than we might have in previous times?

"Because that's going to be a really exciting period having a World Cup and an Ashes back-to-back in England, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any player or member of our support team.

"But at the same time, we have to manage through that process, so it's something we're talking about now."

Roberts declined to speak specifically about the issues relating to Pucovski but commended the 21-year-old for the maturity he's shown in tackling the challenges he continues to face.

But he noted that the support structures put in place around national teams, that include medical staff and team psychologists, are just part of a broader commitment to player well-being that continues to evolve as the public's understanding of mental health increases.

"We've got player development managers in every state, so we manage this as an Australian cricket network," Roberts said.

"We've invested about $13 million over five years in professional development and well-being for players.

"It's just so important for players to manage their well-being, and just to have something outside their cricket so that in their down time – and all cricketers experience the bad times as well as the good – that they've got something to think about and occupy their minds outside their cricket.

"I think we've got a pretty robust system now to deal with player well-being challenges, and it's something that's not going to go away.

"It will become more prevalent rather than less, if anything, in future.

"But I'm really pleased that we're up for that challenge and we're acutely aware and committed to supporting the players."

Domain Test Series v Sri Lanka

Australia: Tim Paine (c/wk), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Jhye Richardson, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Chamika Karunaratne, Vishwa Fernando

First Test: Australia won by an innings and 40 runs

Second Test: February 1-5, Canberra