R Ashwin on concussion substitution controversy: ‘Did we forget that it was an international match not an IPL?’ | Cricket News

Former India cricketer R Ashwin has questions Team India’s decision of replacing Harshit Rana as Shivam Dube’s concussion substitute in the Pune game of the ongoing five-match T20I series between India and England.
In India’s last over, Dube took a hit on his helmet from Overton and walked off owing to concussion. In a debatable decision, the batting allrounder was replaced later medium-pace bowler Rana when the rules say like-for-like substitutions.
Dube, playing his first T20 for India since July, scored 53 off 34 balls and Pandya 53 off 30. The game turned when Rana was brought on as Dube’s concussion substitute. Rana didn’t waste his opportunity — he had dismissed Liam Livingstone and Bethell and returned to bowl Overton to kill off England hopes.
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Harshit Rana took 3 for 33 on debut and India beat England 15 runs to win the T20 series with a match to spare on Friday. India clinched the series 3-1 before the fifth and last match on Sunday in Mumbai.
IND vs ENG: England’s Liam Livingstone, center, reacts after losing his wicket to India’s Harshit Rana, right, during the fourth T20 cricket match between England and India in Pune, India, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo)
“What was this game? It was like a replica of the IPL. Supersub was there, and the game was played with an impact player,” Ashwin said on his hindi YouTube channel “Ash ki baat.”
“The entire controversy about how Harshit Rana came in as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube. Did we forget that it was an international match not an IPL?
“You can call poetic justice, or in fact poetic injustice. I don’t understand it. At least earlier, Chahal replaced Ravindra Jadeja. Here, Harshit Rana replaced Shivam Dube.Story continues below this ad
Ashwin said Ramandeep Singh should have been the like-for-like replacement for Dube.
“There is no role of the Indian or England team. If there is no one in the squad, then you can say that Harshit Rana can bat a bit and Shivam Dube can bowl a bit, that’s why we brought him in. Like-for-like replacement Ramandeep Singh was sitting outside. I don’t understand,” said Ashwin.
“This is a case of pure cricketing miscalculation, either on the part of the umpires or the part of the match referee or whoever be it. Ramandeep Singh was there, a batter who can vall a bit, like-for-like for Shivam Dube. But not him. Harshit Rana was chosen as the concussion substitute. I think people in charge should look into this. Today it happened against England and hurt, some day India might be hurt too.”
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