The replacement of Shivam Dube with Harshit Rana during the India vs England fourth T20 match has sparked a major controversy. England captain Jos Buttler openly criticized Team India’s decision. Former cricket stars Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan also expressed their anger over the substitution issue.
What Happened?
During the match, Shivam Dube was hit on the helmet while batting. Due to this injury, he was replaced by Harshit Rana during fielding. The controversy began because Dube is an all-rounder, while Harshit is a specialist bowler. Harshit’s performance turned the match around as he took three key wickets.
Kevin Pietersen’s Reaction
Kevin Pietersen, while commenting during the match, said,
“I don’t think this is a like-for-like replacement. Jos Buttler was already unhappy about it before getting out. After his dismissal, he looked furious and went straight to the dugout to speak with the coach. He clearly did not believe it was a fair replacement.”
ICC Rules on Concussion Substitutes
According to ICC rules, a player injured due to a concussion can be replaced, but only by a player of similar type, known as a “like-for-like” substitution. This means a bowler can only be replaced by another bowler, and a batsman by another batsman. The controversy arose because Dube (an all-rounder) was replaced by Harshit (a bowler).
Jos Buttler’s Statement
During a press conference, Buttler said,
“This was not a like-for-like replacement. Either Shivam Dube has suddenly increased his bowling speed by 25 miles per hour, or Harshit Rana has become an excellent batsman. We are not satisfied with this decision. But it’s part of the game, and we should have focused on winning the match.”
The incident has raised questions about the fair implementation of concussion substitute rules, with England expressing their dissatisfaction.
