IND v AUS 2020: 'It's still just another ball coming at you,' youngster Will Pucovski is unfazed about facing the Indian attack
Regular Australian opener David Warner's groin injury has put his place for the upcoming Test series against India in doubt. If he is ultimately ruled out, 22-year-old Will Pucovski could be up for his debut.
A teenage prodigy, Will Pucovski has risen through the ranks. His average of 162.50 in the Under-19 championship was unprecedented, and it was enough for selectors to give him his Sheffield Shield debut in the 2016/17 season.
After going through some mental health problems in the next couple of years, Pucovski made a cracking comeback. The Victorian scored two hundreds in the 2018/19 domestic season, including a mammoth 243 against Western Australia.
Then in the current summer, Will Pucovski made headlines once again by notching back-to-back double hundreds. This ultimately led to his call-up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Now, inching closer to his toughest assignment yet where his hitherto flawless technique will be exposed to the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Will Pucovski is unfazed.
"Obviously they are very good bowlers, but I've faced a lot of very good bowling in first-class cricket. At the end of the day, I look at it as it's just a ball coming down and you and I just have to do my best to react in the best way possible," Will Pucovski told ESPNcricinfo.
Will Pucovski opens up on batting with Joe Burns
After Will Pucovski's performance in the domestic season, a certain 'bat-off' was being touted between him and Joe Burns for the opening spot. Warner had himself cleared his preference to be Burns over Pucovski.
Now the competitors might have to come out as partners in the Test series and Will Pucovski isn't too worried.
"Joe and I get along really well, which is obviously a good start," he said.
Pucovski added:
"We haven't batted together heaps, but that's cricket, you end up batting with people you don't bat with very often - so long as you know how to bounce off each other, get each other going or know what each other requires that's all that matters. We've had a few conversations, just about little things, to help each other through."
India and Australia will square off in the four-match Test series, starting December 17. The first Test will be played under lights with the pink ball at the Adelaide Oval.