Concussion Controversy: Former England Great Backs Harshit Rana; know what cricket rule says

India secured a thrilling victory against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday, clinching the series in style. The hosts put up a strong fight, with the bowlers holding their nerve to restrict England after India posted a competitive total of 181 runs. The foundation for the victory was laid by all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, whose crucial contributions with the bat ensured India had a solid total to defend.

However, the match was not without controversy. Young pacer Harshit Rana made his international debut under unusual circumstances, coming in as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube, who suffered a blow to the head while batting. The decision sparked widespread debate, with several cricketing experts questioning whether Rana was a like-for-like replacement for Dube, who is primarily an all-rounder.

Despite the controversy, Rana grabbed the opportunity with both hands and made an immediate impact in his debut match. During England’s chase, he struck early, dismissing Liam Livingstone with just his second delivery. The young pacer continued to shine, finishing with impressive figures of 3 wickets for 33 runs, playing a crucial role in India’s series-clinching win.

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was among those who came to Rana’s defense, praising the young speedster’s performance and emphasizing that he was not to blame for the substitution decision.

"No, Harshit's performance was great. I thought that he delivered his skill excellently. I thought that he was brilliant in the way that he assessed a couple of the batters. The way that he assessed the conditions where he went out wide on a couple of occasions, he was brilliant. And for his cricket, he was outstanding. It's not his fault that he was the one who ended up being the concussion substitute. He went there, bowled his heart out, and bowled to a victory," Pietersen said.

What is Concussion Substitute Rule?

As per the rule, in case a player sustains a concussion or suspected concussion during a match, a replacement can be allowed under strict conditions. 

However, for such replacement, the injury must occur on the field or to say, during active play. The team of the injured player requests for a substitute which must be based on a formal diagnosis by its medical representative.