Will Pucovski: Leicestershire cancel deal as batter recovers from concussion

Will Pucovski suffered his latest concussion while playing for Australian first-class side Victoria

Australian batter Will Pucovski will no longer be joining Leicestershire as he recovers from another concussion, with the club re-signing compatriot Marcus Harris as a replacement.

Pucovski, 26, was due to link up with the Foxes for the first five rounds of the 2024 County Championship season.

Opener Harris, 31, who had a prolific spell with the county in 2021, will now fill in for those matches.

Leicestershire start the season at Yorkshire on 5 April.

Pucovski, who has played one Test for Australia, has suffered numerous concussions throughout his career.

The latest one was sustained after he was hit on the helmet during Victoria's Sheffield Shield match with Tasmania earlier this month.

"It's a huge shame to lose Will at this stage but health must come first," Leicestershire director of cricket Claude Henderson said.

"It has been agreed by all parties to allow him the necessary time to recover, and we want to wish Will all the best as he continues to recuperate in Australia."

Pucovski has scored 2,350 first-class runs at an average of 45.19 and played his sole Test match against India in 2021.

He has a history of concussion issues, including a previous occasion which followed being hit in the head by a volleyball in training.

Marcus Harris has played 14 Test matches for Australia and scored more than 10,000 runs in first-class cricket

Leicestershire will be hoping left-hander Harris can replicate the impact he made three years ago when he scored 887 runs in 12 games at an average of more than 55, as the sport emerged from the Covid pandemic.

He hit four centuries and also finished top of the averages in the One-Day Cup.

"I'm incredibly excited to get back to Leicestershire and play for the Foxes again after an enjoyable summer a few seasons ago," Harris said.

"I have fond memories of the playing group and the staff. With it still being a Covid year we spent a lot of time together, and I really valued the bonds I built with everyone associated with the club."

Henderson added that it was "fantastic" to get Harris back and that his experience will be "hugely beneficial" to the squad.

Leicestershire finished fourth in Championship Division Two last summer and won the One-Day Cup, their first List A trophy for 38 years.