Poetic injustice, a case of pure cricketing miscalculation: Ashwin on concussion substitution row

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Former India spinner R Ashwin has questioned the use of concussion substitution during the fourth T20I against England, in which medium-pacer Harshit Rana replaced batting all-rounder Shivam Dube, calling it a case of “pure cricketing miscalculation.”

Dube, who had scored a half-century, was struck on the head by Jamie Overton off the penultimate delivery of India’s innings. Head coach Gautam Gambhir then effectively used the concussion protocol to field Rana in place of Dube, who bowls at speeds in the early 120 km/h range.

Rana, on debut, took 3 for 33, and India won the match by 15 runs, clinching the T20 series with a match to spare.

“The game is done. India capture yet another series at home. T20I has been a real juggernaut of a win. But my first question is, did we forgot it was an international game and played an IPL match?,” Ashwin said on his hindi YouTube channel ‘Ash ki baat’.

“Because today all the discussion was on how Harshit Rana became Shivam Dube’s concussion sub? I can understand it has happened in the past too. In Canberra, Yuzvendra Chahal replaced Ravindra Jadeja.

“You can call poetic justice, or in fact poetic injustice. I don’t understand it. At least earlier, Chahal replaced Jadeja. Here, Harshit Rana replaced Shivam Dube.”

The concussion protocol allows a like-for-like replacement, and Rana, a tearaway quick, replaced medium pacer Dube, who is used as an ‘impact player’ for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.

England’s captain Jos Buttler, unhappy with the decision, stated that his team was not consulted and would seek clarity from match referee Javagal Srinath on what exactly constituted a like-for-like replacement in concussion cases.

Ashwin believes that Ramandeep Singh would have been a more appropriate 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 ball 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.”

India will face England in the final ODI on Sunday.