The 25-year-old missed Victoria’s last-start Shield win against South Australia after being struck on the helmet while batting in a 2nd XI game on January 22. But Pucovski has been declared fit to take his place against NSW at the SCG, starting on Friday.

“Unfortunately our white-ball campaign came to an end on Wednesday but we now turn our attention to putting together a strong Shield performance at the SCG and put ourselves in the running to make the Shield final,” David Hussey, Cricket Victoria’s head of male cricket, said.

“It is fantastic to welcome back our captain in Will Sutherland for the Shield after his international debut, while it is also great to have Will Pucovski back in the squad.”

Pucovski was cleared of concussion at the time when he was hit on the helmet last month, but experienced delayed symptoms in the following days.

After taking leave for mental health reasons in 2022, Pucovski has returned to cricket this summer after suffering 11 concussions.

Before his return, the right-hander, widely regarded as among Australia’s best young batters, had a year out of the game.

Pucovski has played three Sheffield Shield matches this season, with a top score of 65 and also featured in a tour game for Victoria against Pakistan.

His one and only Test came against India at the SCG in January 2021, impressing with a first-innings 62, but suffered a serious shoulder injury in the same match.

Victoria sit second on the Shield table and remain a chance to secure a home final with three matches remaining. They will head to Sydney at full-strength, taking seven players with international experience.

NSW have remarkably turned their campaign around, winning three of their last four matches, including defeating reigning champions Western Australia twice.