Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at India for a concussion sub-selection of Harshit Rana in the fourth T20 International against England.
Harshit Rana made his T20I debut as a concussion substitute in the fourth T20I replacing batting all-rounder Shivam Dube. Dube was hit on his helmet in the last over of the side’s innings, forcing India to bring in a concussion sub.
Rana was instrumental in clinching a series victory for his team after taking 3-33 in his four overs.
After his heroics in the match, English captain Jos Butler and several former cricketers including Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook slammed the match referee’s decision, saying that Harshit Rana was not a like-for-like replacement for Dube.
Indian legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar also shared similar views regarding the controversy row that played a vital role in England’s thrashing in the fourth T20I.
“In the Pune game, Shivam Dube batted right till the end after having got hit on the helmet earlier, so clearly, he was not concussed. So, allowing a concussion substitute itself was not correct,” Gavaskar wrote in a column for an Indian publication.
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According to Sunil Gavaskar, Rana should have been allowed to field and not bowl as Dube had not sustained an injury while batting.
The former India captain further said that it was not justified for India to bring in Harshit Rana as a concussion sub for Dube.
“Even by the most generous stretching of the like-for-like term, there was nothing such between Dube and Rana, said cricketer turned commentator.
“With tongue firmly in cheek, one can say that they are the same height and have the same standard in fielding. Otherwise, there’s nothing like-for-like as far as they are concerned,” Gavaskar concluded.
For the unversed, India gave England a hammering in the fifth T20I and clinched the five-match series 4-1 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
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