PUCK’S RETURN DATE SET

THE start of Victoria’s Sheffield Shield season next week came one week too soon for batting star Will Pucovski, who is set to return from concussion at the MCG next month.

Victorian coach Chris Rogers revealed Pucovski had been back among the playing group in recent days after being forced to stand down following a 10th concussion.

The 22-year-old, who made his Test debut last summer against India, was struck in the head while batting in the nets but is “pretty positive” he will play when Victoria takes on NSW in a Shield game starting November 5.

Rogers said Pucovski was a class player who had shown a great capacity to hit the ground running and, with potentially two games before the Ashes squad was picked, could give selectors “something to think about” ahead of the series against England.