‘Not Like-For-Like Replacement’: Buttler Frustrated Over Harshit Rana's Substitution For Shivam Dube As Concussion Sub

Jos Buttler questioned India's decision to replace Shivam Dube with Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute, calling it unfair and not a like-for-like replacement after the IND vs ENG 4th T20I.

Harshit Rana ended with figures of 3-33 in 4 overs,

Source : PTI

India defeated England by 15 runs in the IND vs ENG 4th T20I in Pune on January 31 (Friday) to gain an unassailable 3-1 lead and win the five-match series. Shivam Dube and Harshit Rana were the standout players for India. However, Rana, who was not initially a part of the playing 11 played the game as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube, leading to a huge controversy. 

India brought in Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube, who couldn't take the field after being struck on the helmet late in the first innings. Rana made an immediate impact when he bowled for the first time in T20Is in the 12th over. With England at 94/3 while chasing 182, Rana struck a crucial blow by dismissing Liam Livingstone, who had been instrumental in England’s comeback victory in the previous game at Rajkot. Rana eventually ended with figures of 3-33 in 4 overs,

'We Disagree With The Decision': Jos Buttler

Former cricketer Kevin Pietersen and England captain Jos Buttler raised concerns over India’s move of replacing Rana with Dube, questioning its legitimacy. Buttler also stated that he was not consulted regarding the substitution.

"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,” Buttler said after the India vs England 4th T20I.

"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,” he added.

"Like I said, it was not the whole reason why we did not win the match. We had our chances to win the game which we could have still taken. But I'd like to have a bit more clarity on that.”

Pietersen also took issue with Rana's inclusion, questioning how a specialist fast bowler could be allowed to replace an all-rounder as a concussion substitute.

"Jos Buttler got out in frustration because he was not happy with the substitution. Ask anybody in the world if Harshit Rana is a like-for-like replacement. I am not so sure that anybody would say that he is. I think that there is going to be a very big discussion if Harshit Rana picks up four for nothing. It is a different matter if he is like-for-like or not, but an entirely different discussion if they can turn this into their strength," Pietersen said while commentating.