'How can an out and out bowler replace a batter': Harshit Rana's concussion substitution sparks controversy

NEW DELHI: India pacer Harshit Rana made history on Friday during the fourth match of the five-match T20I series against England, becoming the first player to make a T20I debut mid-match as a concussion substitute among full-member teams.
Rana replaced all-rounder Shivam Dube, who was struck on the back of the head by a Jamie Overton delivery in the final over of India’s innings.While the move proved crucial in India’s 15-run victory, it also sparked an intense debate over the fairness of the substitution.

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Former England captain Michael Vaughan was among the most vocal critics, questioning whether Rana was a genuine "like-for-like" replacement for Dube. The decision became even more contentious after Rana claimed three wickets for 33 runs, playing a decisive role in restricting England to 166 while chasing India’s total of 181.

"I have to say the substitute — how did they find that Harshit Rana is a like-for-like for Shivam Dube? An out-and-out bowler replacing a batter who can bowl some part-time stuff is beyond me," Vaughan said while speaking on Cricbuzz. "He gets three for 33, key wickets at the key times… You can’t sell me that Harshit Rana is a like-for-like replacement for Shivam Dube."

India’s move was also scrutinised by former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who acknowledged that while teams have the right to nominate a player, the match referee should have ensured that the replacement met the criteria.
"Maybe Ramandeep [Singh] would have been the ideal choice," Zaheer said. "The match referee’s role was to say, ‘Okay, you have nominated this player, but he doesn’t suit the criteria exactly, so suggest another player who is actually a batter who can bowl, rather than a bowler who can bat.’"

Despite the controversy, India’s performance on the field was dominant. Hardik Pandya (53) and Dube (53) rescued the team from 79 for 5, forging an 87-run partnership that helped India post a competitive 181 for 9. In response, England faltered against India’s bowling attack, with Rana and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (3 for 56) leading the charge.
The victory extended India’s unbeaten T20I series streak at home to 17 since 2019 and sealed a 3-1 series win over England. However, the debate surrounding Rana’s substitution is likely to continue, with calls for greater clarity in concussion replacement rules.