
Courtesy: BCCI/X
Following a tough defeat by 15 runs in the fourth T20I at the MCA Stadium in Pune, which cost England the five-match series, captain Jos Buttler was quite displeased in the press conference about India replacing Shivam Dube with Harshit Rana as concussion substitute. The 34-year-old categorically stated that it wasn’t “a like-for-like replacement,” and the English team management doesn’t agree with it, while stating the reasons to make their case.
Notably, during the Indian innings, Shivam Dube was struck on the head by Jamie Overton’s short ball, but despite that, he managed to score a match-defining 53 for the hosts, to help them get a total in excess of 180 after losing early wickets. After that, when India were defending the runs, Harshit Rana was added in the playing XI on debut in place of Shivam Dube, and he picked up three crucial wickets for the hosts, to help them clinch the fourth T20I and the series.
“It is not a like-for-like replacement. We don't agree with that: Jos Buttler
During the post-match press conference in Pune, Jos Buttler gave his in-depth take on the concussion substitute issue in the fourth T20I. He said, “It is not a like-for-like replacement. We don't agree with that. Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25mph with the ball or Harshit has really improved his batting. It's part of the game and we really should have gone on to win the match, but we disagree with the decision.”
Jos Buttler also alluded to how the concussion substitute Harshit Rana was allowed to replace Shivam Dube without consulting them. He remarked, “There was no consultation [with us]. That's something I was thinking as I came out to bat - who is Harshit on for? They said he is a concussion replacement, which I obviously disagreed with. It is not a like-for-like replacement. They said that the match referee had made the decision. We had no say in it or any part of it. But we'll ask Javagal [Srinath] some questions just to get some clarity around it.”
Moreover, the fifth and final match of the T20I series between India and England will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.