Concussion substitute rules explained: What the ICC playing conditions say?

Concussion substitute rules explained: What the ICC playing conditions say?

Harshit Rana was named as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube during the fourth T20I between India and England in Pune on Friday.

Rana returned three wickets for 33 runs in his four overs and played a vital role in India’s defence of 182 runs. India won the match by 15 runs.

According to the broadcasters, English captain Jos Buttler was unhappy with this substitution since Dube, an all-rounder, was replaced by Harshit, primarily a pacer.

The change sparked a debate over the exact rules related to the change and what the term ‘Like-for-like replacement’ signifies in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) playing conditions.

The rule 1.2.7 of ICC’s Men’s T20I playing guidelines deals with concussion substitutes.

According to the rule,”the ICC Match Referee should ordinarily approve a Concussion Replacement Request if the replacement is a like-for-like player whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his/her team for the remainder of the match.”

Sub-sections, 1.2.7.4 and 1.2.7.5, add, “in assessing whether the nominated Concussion Replacement should be considered a like-for-like player, the ICC Match Referee should consider the likely role the concussed player would have played during the remainder of the match, and the normal role that would be performed by the nominated Concussion Replacement.

“If the ICC Match Referee believes that the inclusion of the nominated Concussion Replacement, when performing their normal role, would excessively advantage their team, the ICC Match Referee may impose such conditions upon the identity and involvement of the Concussion Replacement as he/she sees fit, in line with the overriding objective of facilitating a like-for-like replacement for the concussed player.”