Ravindra Jadeja
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that India might have breached the protocols in using the concussion substitute rule of the ICC during the T20I series opener against Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Friday. Manjrekar questioned why there was no physio called for or sent when Ravindra Jadeja was hit with the ball in the final over of the innings.
Yuzvendra Chahal was named as India's concussion substitute when India took the field to defend the target of 162 and the subtitute finished with a Man of Match spell of 3 for 25 with seven dot balls.
BCCI had even tweeted a statement saying that Jadeja is being assesed by the medical team while captain Virat Kohli mentioned that the batsman felt a bit of dizziness on reaching the dressing room and felt it even after the match had completed.
"There is one important breach of protocol that has happened. I am sure the match referee will raise with India but one of the main things with that protocol, the moment you get hit on the head, they have to spend time with the batsman out there, asking how he feels, the physio has to come in and there are a certain set of questions that need to be asked. With Jadeja, it just happened, there was hardly any delay and he continued playing," Manjrekar told Sony Six on Friday.
"He added just 9 runs, it wasn't a massive advantage. But after that (hit), there should have been at least 2-3 minutes where India support staff should have come out. And then it would have looked a little more credible.
"I would say one thing though, David Boon had no choice but to give India the concussion substitute because he would not have the courage to say he wouldn't allow it because, at the time of impact, no attention was given. He had to give the concussion substitute once the request was made."
Australia coach Justin Langer too was left furious over the matter as he was spotted having an animated discussion with match referee Davi Boon when Australia's innings started.
Aussie skjipper Aaron Finch, who was present during that conversation, later played down the debate saying that one cannot question a medical expert's assessment.
Manjrekar feels that ICC will look into the matter in a bid to avoid misuse of the rule while also questioning of Chahal was the lik-for0like replacement for Jadeja.
"After this, there is going to be a lot of thought given to concussion substitute and the whole concept, because we, as players, there are rules made with good intentions, but we're masters at just trying to find a loophole in the rule to our own advantage. Whether India took advantage, I don't know but there's something that ICC will start looking at," Manjrekar said.
"You know what ICC or referee will have a problem with this is there was no visit by the physio, nobody came, no time was taken to see him, he carried on playing.
"What's going to come out of this is ICC having a close look at this rule, which has come for a good reason after what's happened in the sport. ICC will also make sure no team uses it unfairly, I am not suggesting India used it unfairly and got an unfair advantage. They want the like-for-like replacement. In this case, Jadeja, with the hamstring, is not the same bowler, as Chahal was."
