Shivam Dube-Harshit Rana swap raises debate over concussion sub rule
Shivam Dube-Harshit Rana swap raises debate over concussion sub rule
Concussion substitute or Impact Player.
That has been the debate ever since Harshit Rana was allowed to be a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube during India’s fourth T20I against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune on Friday.
A combination of Dube’s 53 with the willow and Rana’s three wickets in the latter half of England’s chase was instrumental in India winning the match by 15 runs and keeping its unbeaten run in the home bilateral T20I series intact with a game to spare.
There is no doubt the concussion sub after Dube took a blow on his helmet before being run out in the last over wasn’t the sole factor for England surrendering in a tense chase. But the fact that Rana – a pace bowler who is no mug with the bat – was allowed to replace Dube – a batting allrounder whose medium pace has seldom been utilised by the Men in Blue over the last 12 months – has raised a lot of questions over the match referee Javagal Srinath’s decision.
In case of a concussion sub, the match referee is the sole arbitrator and is supposed to check whether the replacement is “like for like” and it does not hand excessive advantage to the side after the replacement. No wonder then that England captain Jos Buttler – stressing that his group “disagreed” with the ruling – chuckled in jest and said he would also perhaps name his 12 at the toss on Sunday night.
No doubt there is a case for Srinath to have possibly suggested Ramandeep Singh as a like-for-like replacement instead of approving Rana as a concussion sub for India’s bowling essay. But the fact the concussion substitution rule was introduced in 2019 to promote player safety means the match referees seldom reject a proposed replacement.
It was neither the first time nor the last when a team has been allowed to have an awkward concussion sub. Yuzvendra Chahal – for instance – replaced Ravindra Jadeja in a T20I against Australia in December 2020 after Jadeja’s quickfire 44 with the willow had bailed India out of trouble.
Perhaps it’s time for the International Cricket Council to ensure stringent application and avoid misuse of a rule that’s a must in professional cricket.
