Jos Buttler Questions Concussion Substitution After England’s Defeat to India

England captain Jos Buttler has raised concerns over the legality of India’s concussion substitution during the 4th T20I fixture between England and India in Pune. India decided to send in Harshit Rana as a substitute for Shivam Dube, a move that allowed India to bring in a specialist fast bowler in place of an all-rounder. The switch paid off as Rana’s three-wicket haul helped India secure a 15-run victory and take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series leaving Jos Buttler irked.

The controversy began when Dube was struck on the helmet by a 141.5kph bouncer from Jamie Overton in the final over of India’s innings. Dube had played a crucial knock of 53 off 34 balls, helping India post a competitive total of 182, but he was subsequently withdrawn under the ICC’s concussion protocol. India then replaced him with Harshit Rana, who ended up taking three key wickets as England collapsed for 166 all out.

Jos Buttler, speaking after the match, strongly disagreed with the decision, questioning whether Rana was truly a like-for-like replacement for Dube.

“It is not a like-for-like replacement. Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25mph with the ball or Harshit has really improved his batting,” Jos Buttler remarked. “We had no consultation. I was walking out to bat and only then realized that Harshit was on as a concussion replacement. We will definitely be seeking clarity on this decision.”

Under the ICC’s concussion substitution rule (Clause 1.2.7.4), a replacement player must be “like-for-like” and should not excessively advantage the team receiving the replacement. The match referee, Javagal Srinath, approved the swap, prompting England and Jos Buttler to voice their frustration over what they perceived as a tactical loophole being exploited. While Dube is a batting all-rounder who bowls occasional medium pace, Rana is an out-and-out fast bowler who routinely clocks speeds above 140kph.

The move was also questioned by Kevin Pietersen during live TV commentary, who said: “If you ask anyone whether Harshit Rana is a like-for-like replacement for Shivam Dube, I don’t think you’ll get a yes. The England dressing room will not be happy with this.” Responding to the criticism, India’s assistant coach Morne Morkel defended the move, stating that the final call rested with the match referee.

Despite the controversy, Jos Buttler acknowledged that England had their chances to win the game but failed to capitalize. The loss saw them concede the five-match series 3-1 ahead of the final T20I in Mumbai on February 2.