Australia’s allrounder Moises Henriques has questioned whether Yuzvendra Chahal was the like-for-like replacement for concussed Ravindra Jadeja in the first T20I in Canberra. During the match, Jadeja was hit on the helmet in the final over of the first innings, and thus, after the approval of the match referee, India had swooped in Chahal as his concussion substitute.
India has been alleged for breaching the like-for-like substitute rule in concussion. As Jadeja is a spin-bowling allrounder while Chahal is in and out the spinner, many have pointed that it was an illegal replacement. But, notably, India didn’t have an all-rounder in their bench who could have replaced Jadeja. Thus, it has pointed out a significant loophole in ICC’s concussion rule.
Moises Henriques questions Yuzvendra Chahal as Ravindra Jadeja’s ‘like-for-like’ concussion substitute
Talking to ESPNCricinfo, Moises Henriques acknowledged that Jadeja was concussed and it was the right call for roping in the concussion substitute.
“From our point as a player you’ve just got to roll and get on with it,” Henriques was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.
“Once a decision has been made you just move forward and do what you can to win the fixture. When you’ve got professionals in place to make those decisions, and there’s no doubt he got a knock on the helmet, so from my point of view I do like to try and see the best in everyone,” Moises Henriques added.
However, Henriques, who picked up three wickets and scored 30 runs in the match, had his apprehensions when Chahal was called upon. He has encouraged to be discussed the same.
“But having said that, whether it was a like-for-like replacement, that’s the only thing moving forward, that’s the question we’d like to see,” he stated.
“Like for like, from my point of view, it would definitely be one’s an allrounder and a gun fielder, and the other one is an out-and-out bowler who bats [at] 11. That’s the only thing from my point of view. I’d like to look into if that’s a like-for-like decision,” Moises Henriques added.
Before getting hit by the ball in the helmet, Jadeja picked up a hamstring injury in his right leg and was attended by the physio, but he continued batting.
However, when Mitchell Starc‘s ball got hit on Jadeja’s helmet, the doctor didn’t even come for a check-up in the field which has also sparked a controversy. But currently, he has been ruled out of the remainder of the series.