ISLAMABAD: A highly controversial moment unfolded during the fourth T20 match between India and England, played in Pune. The incident involved a violation of ICC regulations by the Indian team, which did not go unnoticed by England’s captain, Jos Buttler.
During India’s batting innings, all-rounder Shivam Dube was struck on the helmet by a delivery and was subsequently injured. Initially, he was allowed to continue playing, but when India took to the field for the second innings, Dube did not return. Instead, Harshit Rana, a specialist fast bowler, was substituted in as his replacement.
This substitution quickly drew the ire of Buttler and former cricketers, as it appeared to violate ICC rules. According to the ICC guidelines, if a player is injured and replaced, the substitute must be a like-for-like player. However, in this instance, India sent in a fast bowler to replace a batting all-rounder, a move that raised questions about its fairness.
Buttler expressed his frustration after the match, saying, “This was nowhere near a like-for-like replacement. Did Dube suddenly start bowling fast, or did Harshit significantly improve his batting?” He further added that the England team had not been informed about the substitution and questioned the umpires. Upon asking the on-field umpire about the change, Buttler was told that the match referee had approved it. He stated that the team would follow up with match referee Javagal Srinath for clarification.
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Former England captains Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan also criticized the decision to bring Harshit into the game, adding fuel to the controversy surrounding the match.
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