As the difficult debate about Will Pucovski’s future begins again, we canvass several Test greats and former captains from different eras – and get very different views.
Ian Chappell refused to wear a helmet until Kerry Packer ordered him to during the second year of World Series Cricket.
However, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey and Tim Paine, who batted in helmets, believe the debate is more complicated. Paine, who captained Pucovski in his only Test and stood behind him a number of times keeping for Tasmania against Victoria, believes that – for the most part – Pucovski has been unfortunate.Credit:“He didn’t watch the ball. So it was a bit of doubt in his mind, rather than technically because, believe it or not, Will Pucovski plays the short ball pretty well.
Ian was 15 and playing club cricket in Adelaide on a wet wicket when he failed to step inside the ball hooking, and Greg as a young man playing county cricket for Somerset when the ball came off the back of the bat, also on a wet wicket. Ian was “staggered” how much batting techniques had changed in cricket when he saw highlights of Australia’s triumphant 1974-75 Ashes series.
Highlights of Ian Chappell batting show his first movement is clearly back and across while Greg stays still with a slight movement from his back foot. Ricky Ponting, Hussey and Hayden all press forward to different degrees and pivot on a stationary back leg when they hook or pull rather than get inside the ball.The forward press