NEW DELHI: Even as India and England gear up for the fifth and final T20I of the series in Mumbai on Sunday, the hosts' concussion substitute move in the fourth game is still a raging debate.
India used Harshit Rana as a concussion replacement for half-centurion Shivam Dube, which allowed the hosts to win the fourth game of the five-match T20I series in Pune on Friday by a margin of 15 runs.
After Dube, who scored 53 from 34 balls, was struck on the helmet by a delivery from Jamie Overton in the 19.5th over, the concussion procedure was implemented.
Rana played a crucial role, taking three wickets, including Liam Livingstone's, and England captain Jos Buttler questioned if the concussion regulation was actually adhered to.
"I think either Shivam Dube put on 25 mph with the ball or Harshit Rana has improved a lot with his batting," Buttler said.
Now former England captain Kevin Pietersen shared his views on India's move.
Pietersen posted on X: "Concussion sub is quite the topic everywhere here atm and my view is…it was NEVER a like for like replacement and the match referee should just hold his hand up and say he got that one wrong. End of event for good and we move on to another great clash this evening."
A like-for-like replacement is permitted by the concussion protocol, and Rana, who does have a Ranji Trophy hundred, was the concussion substitute for medium pacer Dube.
All India did, according to bowling coach Morne Morkel, was assign a name to match referee Javagal Srinath.
"We only gave a name to match referee. After that it's out of our hands. Harshit was having dinner. He had to quickly get up and go out. I thought he did an excellent job," Morkel said.
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