Synopsis
Former England captain Alastair Cook criticized the match referee's decision to allow Harshit Rana to substitute Shivam Dube during the 4th T20I. Cook argued it was not a 'like-for-like' replacement, questioning the logic behind the move and its impact on the game's outcome.Key Takeaways
- Alastair Cook questions the decision to allow Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute.
- Rana's performance included three wickets for 33 runs.
- England captain Jos Buttler expressed confusion over the substitution.
- The decision impacted India's victory and series outcome.
- Questions were raised regarding the definition of a 'like-for-like' substitute.
New Delhi, Feb 1 (NationPress) Former England captain Alastair Cook has raised concerns about the match referee’s choice during the 4th T20I clash between India and England to permit Harshit Rana to substitute Shivam Dube as a concussion replacement. As per ICC Guidelines, ‘The ICC match referee should generally sanction a concussion replacement request if the player is a similar type of player.’
Rana’s entry turned out to be crucial, as he took three wickets for 33 runs, disrupting England’s middle and lower order when the visitors seemed to gain momentum in their pursuit of 182 runs.
“This had such a significant influence on the game. Substituting a powerful batting all-rounder, who has bowled just one over in the [2024] IPL, with a bowler who lacks batting capability and bowls heavy seam, is completely illogical to me,” Cook stated.
“England should have clinched the game. They would have preferred facing a pace bowler over a spinner, but I still cannot comprehend this decision.”
“India had Washington Sundar available on the bench, who Dube replaced. Instead, they opted for a fast bowler, who bowls around 140 km/h. It seems utterly irrational that this was allowed,” Cook added during an interview with TNT Sports.
Ravi Bishnoi (3 for 28) and debutant Harshit Rana (3 for 33) each claimed three wickets as India triumphed over England by 15 runs. With this victory, India secured the series 3-1, with the final T20I scheduled in Mumbai. Previously, Hardik Pandya (53) and Shivam Dube (53) formed a counter-attacking partnership that salvaged India from a difficult position, propelling them to a competitive total of 181/9.
English captain Jos Buttler acknowledged that his team ought to have won the match despite Rana's introduction, yet he remained puzzled by the decision.
“We disagree with the ruling. This is not a like-for-like substitution. Either Shivam Dube has significantly improved his speed, or Harshit has notably enhanced his batting skills. They had a suitable replacement in Ramandeep Singh, so we are quite perplexed by how Harshit Rana was permitted to enter the game. We’ll be questioning Javagal Srinath, the match referee,” Buttler remarked.
“We weren’t consulted. When I stepped out to bat, I inquired with the umpire why Harshit was on the field, and he informed me that he was the concussion substitute, which left me baffled.”
“Maybe at the toss for the next game, I’ll declare we’re playing with 12 players as well. I still believe we should have won the match, but we disagree with this decision,” Buttler concluded during the post-match press conference.
