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Will Pucovski is set to miss the start of the Ashes series against England after his state coach ruled the promising top-order batter out of a first-class match in Australia because of another concussion setback.

The 23-year-old suffered concussion symptoms for the 10th time in his career last month after taking a blow to the head while training with his state side Victoria. 

And state coach Chris Rogers has said he does not expect Pucovski to be available for the Australian Test squad until midway through the Ashes series, which is scheduled to start on 8 December at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Australia opener Will Pucovski is set to miss the start of the Ashes series against England

The 23-year-old suffered concussion symptoms for the 10th time in his career last month

'In discussions with the medical team and national selectors, it was felt that we'd give him a bit more time before he's selected to play for Australia,' Rogers, a former Australia opener, said two days before Victoria were due to play New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield competition.

'No doubt it's a setback - I'd say now it's unlikely he'll play in the first Test. He hasn't quite recovered as well as hoped... from the concussion.

'If we do play a third Shield game in mid-November, and there might be a second XI game for Victoria as well, that might prepare him for one of the matches in the middle of the Ashes series.

'That's the best-case scenario at the moment.'

Victoria coach Chris Rogers has said he does not expect Pucovski to be available until midway through the Ashes series

The first Ashes Test match is scheduled to start on 8 December at the Gabba in Brisbane

Rogers said national selectors were taking a long-term view with Pucovski and wanted to give him time to recover rather than rush him back into domestic cricket.

'No doubt there's a lot of frustration for him, he wants to be playing,' Rogers said. 'He hasn't played for seven months and to walk straight back into the cauldron and have to perform against very good opposition, that is going to be really difficult. And that would have been playing on his mind also.'

Pucovski was initially selected in Australia's Test squad in 2019 but didn't make his Test debut until he faced India at Sydney in January, scoring 62 in his first innings but then dislocating his right shoulder in a fielding mishap. He needed surgery and was ruled out for six months.

After returning to training last month he sustained another concussion, and was still experiencing symptoms this week.

Pucovski was initially selected in Australia's Test squad in 2019 but didn't make his Test debut until he faced India at Sydney in January

'Of course he wants to play for Australia for a long time to come,' Rogers said. 'There's a strong desire to get him into that Australian side because he's such a talented player and a lot of people recognise it.

'We have got to be mindful of the fact that we want him to have a long career ... So there has got to be some thought around what is in his best interests and how that plays out.'

England players will start arriving in Australia later this week to start preparations for the five-Test series. They'll be joined later in the month by players in the England squad contesting the Twenty20 World Cup.

Australia are preparing to have an internal probable vs. possible trial match on the Gold Coast, an hour south of Brisbane, leading into the Ashes series.

England players will start arriving in Australia later this week to start preparations for the series