The India Nationwide Cricket Staff’s resolution to interchange the younger pacer Harshit Rana because the all-rounder Shivam Dube’s concussion substitute within the fourth T20I match in opposition to England in Pune didn’t sit effectively with many cricketers, together with Indians.
The drama unfolded when Jamie Overton’s fierce 141.5kph bouncer struck Shivam Dube on the helmet in India’s final over earlier than being run out by the England captain Jos Buttler. Nonetheless, Dube had already carried out sufficient harm to the England Nationwide Cricket Staff in Pune.
India’s resolution to interchange Shivam Dube with Harshit Rana in Pune sparks debate amongst cricket specialists
Shivam Dube (53 runs off 34 balls) had stitched an 87-run partnership with Hardik Pandya to assist the Males in Blue recuperate from 57 for 4 and put up 181 for 9 within the fourth T20I in opposition to England. However the true controversy erupted after the hosts opted to herald medium-pace bowler Nitish Rana as a concussion substitute for the all-rounder for the T20I series-deciding match in Pune.
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Curiously, India had batting all-rounder Ramandeep Singh on the bench, who appeared a greater match as a like-for-like alternative for Dube, however they determined to select Rana regardless of guidelines clearly mandating a like-for-like alternative in such conditions in worldwide cricket.
Notably, Ramandeep briefly stepped in as an alternative to Varun Chakravarthy through the match. It sparked large controversy, with many England and India specialists criticizing the Indian group administration for diminishing their picture through the use of such techniques to win the collection.
Chris Broad slams ICC for ‘Bias and Corruption’ over Shivam Dube’s concussion substitute
Now, former England cricketer and ICC match referee Chris Broad questioned the choice to permit Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube within the Pune T20I. The previous ICC match referee questioned the governing physique and criticized the match officers for not stopping “bias and corruption” within the match.
Notably, Rana performed a key function in India’s series-winning 15-run victory over England in Pune by taking 3 wickets for 33 runs.
Chris Broad posted, X: “Unbiased match officers have been introduced in to cease conditions like this! Why is the ICC returning to the ‘unhealthy previous days’ of bias and corruption?”
https://t.co/9WaxfmoJnt
Unbiased match officers have been introduced in to cease conditions like this! Why are the ICC returning to the ‘unhealthy previous days’ of bias and corruption? #BCCI #ICC #bias #INDvENG
— Chris Broad (@ChrisBroad3) February 1, 2025
In a separate social media put up, Broad advised that the ICC ought to mandate using impartial match referees. Responding to a question on the controversy, the Englishman questioned how an Indian match referee might enable such a alternative. He burdened that match officers should stay impartial to keep away from any bias.
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Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen name out match officers over the row
In the meantime, the previous England captain Michael Vaughan additionally joined the talk. Nonetheless, Vaughan had not directly carried out it with a contact of sarcasm by means of retweets. He joked that “Harshit Rana goes to be some participant if he bats like Dube as effectively.”
He’s going to be some participant if he bats like Dube as effectively 😜😜 https://t.co/YD6JX87fm6
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 1, 2025
Then again, former England captain Kevin Pietersen referred to as the concussion substitution controversial, saying it wasn’t a good alternative. The commentator mentioned that the match referee ought to settle for his mistake and transfer ahead forward of the ultimate sport in Mumbai.
Kevin Pietersen posted on X: “Concussion sub is kind of the subject in all places right here atm, and my view is…it was NEVER a like-for-like alternative, and the match referee ought to simply maintain his hand up and say he obtained that one improper. Finish of occasion for good, and we transfer on to a different nice conflict this night.”
Concussion sub is kind of the subject in all places right here atm and my view is…it was NEVER a like for like alternative and the match referee ought to simply maintain his hand up and say he obtained that one improper.
Finish of occasion for good and we transfer on to a different nice conflict this night. 💫— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) February 2, 2025
Sunil Gavaskar slams Staff India for his or her controversial resolution
Even Sunil Gavaskar criticized the Indian group administration, saying Shivam Dube wasn’t concussed as he batted till the top after being hit on the helmet. He burdened that there was no “like-for-like” alternative between Dube and Harshit Rana.
Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for The Telegraph: “Even by essentially the most beneficiant stretching of the like-for-like time period, there was nothing such between Dube and Rana. With tongue firmly in cheek, one can say that they’re the identical top and have the identical normal in fielding.
In any other case, there’s nothing like for like so far as they’re involved. England has each purpose to really feel carried out in. This Indian group is an excellent group and would not want its wins to get tarnished by such acts.”
