Former cricketer Michael Vaughan has said that Harshit Rana should not have been brought in as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube in the fourth T20I on the England tour of India 2025.
Shivam Dube was hit on his helmet in the last over of the Indian innings, after which Harshit was approved as a replacement for him. Rana played a key role in India’s 15-run win in the fourth T20I match of the team.
He picked the wickets of Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell and Jamie Overton in the match. However, admitted that England would have done the same if they had the choice.
“How did they found that Harshit Rana was a like-for-like replacement for Shivam Dube, and an out-and-out bowler to replace a batter who bowls part-time is beyond me. He gets three for 33, got key wickets at key times,” told Vaughan.
“England would have done the same, by the way, if they had the chance to replace a player for the same kind of player that India did in the end. But Harshit Rana can’t be a like-for-like replacement for Shivam Dube,” Vaughan added.
According to the rule 12.7 of ICC Men’s T20I playing guidelines, “the ICC Match Referee should ordinarily approve a Concussion Replacement Request if the replacement is a like-for-like player whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his/her team for the remainder of the match.”
Earlier, Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has also said that Ramandeep Singh should have been a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube and nor Harshit Rana.
“It’s not really a like-for-like replacement if Harshit bowls….which he should. Ramandeep was the ideal ‘concussion replacement’ for Dube,” wrote Chopra on X.
India secured a stunning 3-1 lead in the series after the wins in Kolkata, Chennai and Pune. Meanwhile they suffered a defeat in the Rajkot. India will be looking to finish the series on a handsome note in the fifth and final T20I on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium.
