The concussion substitute controversy in the fourth T20I between Team India and England on Friday evoked memories of the events that took place five years ago. A section of fans on social media drew resemblance of the same when India replaced a concussed Ravindra Jadeja with Yuzvendra Chahal during the first of the three T20Is against Australia in Canberra in 2020.
The match saw Jadeja play a vital hand of 44 off 23 deliveries, hitting five fours and a six that fired the Men in Blue to 161 in their stipulated 20 overs. The left-hander got hit on the head by a quick delivery from Mitchell Starc as he failed to connect it where he had wished to. As a result, India had drafted a specialist bowler in Yuzvendra Chahal as a concussion replacement, irking then Australia coach Justin Langer. Chahal, the leggie, went on to take three wickets and fashioned a 11-run win for India.
A similar incident had the cricketing fraternity talking on Friday. With Shivam Dube hit on the helmet during his explosive knock of 53, it was determined during the innings break that the all-rounder hadn’t been deemed fit to field. As a result, pace bowler Harshit Rana jumped in as a concussion replacement and made a decisive difference in the game, taking figures of 4-0-33-3 to fashion a 15-run win and a series victory for the hosts.
Here’s how the netizens reacted to the incident:
