India vs Australia: ‘Don’t see any issue on using Yuzvendra Chahal as concussion substitute for Ravindra Jadeja,’ says Anil Kumble

Former India cricketer and coach Anil Kumble talked about the ongoing concussion-substitute controversy that took place during the first T20I between India and Australia. 

The Indian team opted for a concussion replacement in the form of Yuzvendra Chahal after Ravindra Jadeja got hit off a bouncer. Kumble disagreed with the reports that suggested that Jadeja is an all-rounder, and India should have played an all-rounder.

“This rule has been in force for the last couple of years after the tragic demise of Phil Hughes. There was a push for a substitute to come in when someone gets hit on the head, and concussion is a big thing. I know Jadeja did pull his hamstring after he got hit on the head or before he got hit. Whenever he got hit I don’t think it has got anything to do with replacement,” Kumble said at a virtual launch of ‘The Hitman: The Rohit Sharma Story’, written by Vijay Lokapally and G. Krishnan.

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“I don’t think it is Jadeja’s call to ask for a physio. It is for the umpires to stop the game and call for a physio. That did not happen perhaps because Jadeja ran for the single and he continued to play. He was fine. And concussion doesn’t necessarily mean it has to happen on the field. You can come back to the dressing room and then you may feel headache or dizziness. That’s when the doctors will step in and stop. That’s what probably happened in this case,” the former India skipper explained.

‘Chahal was a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja‘

Kumble opined that Ravindra Jadeja had completed his batting, and had to bowl now. So, Yuzvendra Chahal is a spinner just like Jadeja, which makes him a like-for-like replacement. 

“But Jadeja had done his part of the batting. So, you look at the other skills he brings in. He is a spinner. That’s why a spinner [Chahal] was brought in as a like-to-like replacement. If the roles were to be replaced, for example, if he was concussed when on the field when India was bowling and if Jadeja had to bat and couldn’t bat then I am sure Chahal wouldn’t have been a like-to-like replacement. You would have looked at a batsman to come in place of Jadeja. I am sure Chahal would have been listed in the 15. I don’t see any issue with the concussion replacement,” he insisted.

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