Pucovski return under a cloud, still having symptoms

Victoria coach Chris Rogers says Ashes hopeful Will Pucovski is still experiencing concussion symptoms, clouding plans for the young opener to return against NSW this week.

Pucovski missed Victoria's Marsh Sheffield Shield opener last week having suffered a concussion at training but Rogers had indicated the young star was hopeful of playing the return game against the Blues, starting at the MCG on Friday.

Speaking today, Rogers was less optimistic about Pucovski's return in what would be another blow to the opener's hopes of being picked for the first Ashes Test next month.

"We're monitoring his progress coming back from concussion," Rogers said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

"We travel back to Victoria (from Sydney) today ... so we'll know more when we get in front of him.

"The medical team are constantly talking to him, so I think there's still a few symptoms.

"We've just got to see what happens when it comes to Friday and our next Shield match against New South Wales."

Pucovski was concussed for the 10th time during a training session in Melbourne last month.

The right-hander, who averages 53 in first-class cricket, has had a long-running battle with head knocks, although only four of the 10 concussions he's suffered have come after being hit by a short ball, underlining how unlucky he's been.

Some of his other head knocks have come on the football field or when fielding, while he also struck his head on a doorknob as a teenager.

Speaking last week, Rogers backed the 23-year-old to quickly get back to his run-scoring best when he's eventually cleared to return to playing.

"He's been through this before, so he knows what it's like and he'll be ready to go," Rogers said.

"He's a pretty resilient guy now - if you go through (this) many setbacks, you have to have something about you."

"He's showed before that he can hit the ground running as he did last year in the two Sheffield Shield games when he got two 200s," Rogers said.

"If he was good enough to come and do something like that again, I think the Australian selectors would definitely have something to consider."

If fit, Pucovski is the frontrunner to partner David Warner in the first Vodafone Ashes Test at the Gabba, starting on December 8

Pucovski's Victoria teammate Marcus Harris and Queensland's Usman Khawaja are also contenders for a Test spot having both made Shield hundreds in the last round of games.

Speaking last week, Warner said selectors had plenty of options to choose from if Pucovski was not available.

"(Pucovski is) a hell of a player, he's primed and ripe for international cricket," Warner said.

"If I was to make a judgement call, I'm pretty sure he'd be the first person who's on the top of their list.

"It doesn't worry me too much if it's two left handers or two right handers or a right and left. Whichever way the selectors want to go, they'll obviously pick the person who is in form."