The entire controversy is whether a fast bowler like Rana fits the bill for a like-for-like replacement for a batting all-rounder like Dube.
India’s decision to field Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute during IND vs ENG 4th T20I has sparked a raging controversy now.
What had happened was Dube took a blow to his helmet on the penultimate ball during India’s batting and although he went on to face the final delivery, the batting all-rounder did not come out to field.
It was later confirmed during the 10th over mark that Dube had been replaced by Harshit Rana, who made a sudden T20I debut.
The entire controversy is whether a fast bowler like Rana fits the bill for a like-for-like replacement for a batting all-rounder like Dube.
The decision seemed very convenient from India’s standpoint where they had Dube during batting and could then unleash Harshit Rana while bowling.
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Echoing on the same lines, former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) player Anirudha Srikkanth had a different opinion.
Srikkanth, who played for CSK from 2008-13, highlighted that the decision wasn’t fair on the opposition batters could have had a gameplan of taking on the attack when the fifth or the sixth bowler was introduced. He also suggested that the least the Indian team could have done was ask permission from England skipper Jos Buttler.
“As a batter you’d surely plan ‘I want to play this bowler’ and when the fifth bowler or the sixth bowler comes, we’ll take down that particular over. You would’ve planned your batting. Now there’s no such planning and suddenly you watch Harshit Rana coming up. At least, you should take permission from the opposition captain about it. Don’t know how they did it but should have at least asked Jos Buttler about it.”
Allowing Harshit eventually made a massive difference in the game. While Dube’s bowling isn’t used much by India in the shortest format, Rana ended up giving a match-winning performance by picking up three wickets from his four overs.
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