The recent controversy surrounding the concussion substitution rule in cricket has ignited passionate discussions, particularly following the fourth T20I match between India and England.
Former Indian cricketer R. Ashwin has been vocal about his concerns regarding the decision to replace Shivam Dube with Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute, questioning whether the match was treated as an international contest or merely an IPL game.
Background of the Controversy
During the match held in Pune, Shivam Dube was struck on the helmet by a delivery from Jamie Overton in the final over of India’s innings.
Following this incident, he was diagnosed with a concussion and subsequently replaced by medium-pacer Harshit Rana, who made his T20I debut mid-match.
This substitution raised eyebrows as it appeared to contravene the ICC’s guidelines for “like-for-like” replacements, which are intended to maintain fairness and competitive integrity.
Ashwin’s Critique
In a candid discussion on his YouTube channel “Ash ki Baat,” Ashwin expressed his discontent with the decision, stating, “Did we forget that it was an international match and played an IPL match?”
He emphasized that the nature of the game felt more akin to an IPL format rather than adhering to international standards.
Ashwin highlighted that while substitutions have occurred in the past—citing instances like Yuzvendra Chahal replacing Ravindra Jadeja—this particular case seemed more problematic due to the stark differences in skill sets between Dube and Rana.
Ashwin argued that Ramandeep Singh, another player in the squad, would have been a more appropriate like-for-like replacement for Dube.
He stated, “There is no role of the Indian or England team. If there is no one in the squad, then you can say that Harshit Rana can bat a bit and Shivam Dube can bowl a bit.” He further criticized the decision as a “pure cricketing miscalculation,” suggesting that either the umpires or match referees failed to uphold the integrity of the substitution rules.
Reactions from England’s Captain
England’s captain, Jos Buttler, also expressed his dissatisfaction with the substitution decision.
He noted that his team was not consulted regarding what constituted a like-for-like replacement and questioned how Rana could be considered equivalent to Dube.
Buttler remarked, “Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25 mph with the ball or Harshit has really improved his batting,” underlining his belief that Rana’s inclusion did not align with fair play principles.
