'Either Dube put on 25 mph or Rana…': Jos Buttler's sarcastic dig at Team India on concussion substitute controversy
Jos Buttler made it crystal clear that he didn't agree with Harshit Rana coming in as Shivam Dube's concussion replacement in the middle.
England captain Jos Buttler made his intentions crystal clear on India's concussion substitute controversy after the fourth T20I in Pune. Suryakumar Yadav and Co. emerged victorious on Friday night and took an unassailable 3-1 lead over England with a 15-run win, but it was their ploy to use Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute for half-centurion Shivam Dube grabbed all the attention.
All-rounder Dube was picked in the playing XI, and he played a ferocious 53-run knock off 34 balls when India were asked to bat first. However, he was hit on the helmet by a Jamie Overton delivery in the 19.5th over, leading to the concussion protocol being followed. He did face the last ball of the Indian innings but didn't take the field in the second innings as India chose Rana as the substitute concussion for him.
Buttler said that he didn't agree with Rana coming in as Dube's concussion replacement in the middle.
"We don't agree with concussion substitute. It's not a like-for-like replacement," Jos Buttler said at the post-match media conference.
Rana eventually played a pivotal role, taking 3 wickets, including that of Liam Livingstone, and Buttler, raising the question of whether the concussion rule was followed in letter and spirit.
Buttler took a sarcastic dig at the Indian team and pointed out the comparison between Dube and Rana's skillset.
"I think either Shivam Dube put on 25 mph with the ball or Harshit Rana has improved a lot with his batting," the skipper said.
The concussion protocol allows a like-for-like replacement, and Rana was a tearaway quick replacement medium pacer. Dube, who CSK used as an impact player in the IPL.
The England captain further revealed his first reaction when he saw Harshit as the concussion substitute.
“There was no consultation [with us]. That's something I was thinking as I came out to bat - who is Harshit on for? They said he is a concussion replacement, which I obviously disagreed with. It is not a like-for-like replacement. They said that the match referee had made the decision. We had no say in it or any part of it,” he added.
What do the MCC laws say about Concussion Sub?
As per 1.2.7.3 of the ICC playing conditions for concussion substitution, “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 team for the remainder of the match.”
On the other hand, Rule 1.2.7.7 states: “The decision of the ICC Match Referee in relation to any Concussion Replacement Request shall be final and neither team shall have any right of appeal.”
