India men's team's bowling coach Morne Morkel revealed that the team management followed the protocol as they took forward Harshit Rana's name as concussion substitute for Shivam Dube. Rana's T20I debut as a concussion substitute has created controversy as England captain Jos Buttler and former English cricketers feel it was not a "like-for-like replacement". When asked about the decision to choose Rana as concussion replacement, he said it was match referee's call.
"Shivam came off the field in the innings break with mild headache symptoms. We took a name forward to the match referee in terms of a suitable substitution, and from there it is up to the match referee to make the decision. When the decision was made, Harshit was having dinner. So we had to get him ready as quickly as possible to go on the field and bowl," Morkel told the reporters after India's 15-run win over England.
"It goes to the powers above me - match referee makes the decision. We can only take the name forward and from there it is out of our hands."
Rana went on to take three crucial wickets from his quota of four overs which did not sit well with the visitors. In the post-match press conference, Buttler said that he will ask for more clarity from match referee Javagal Srinath.
What Rana said after the match
Meanwhile, Rana was ecstatic after making his T20I debut as he had been waiting for his moment in the sun for a while in the format.
"Two overs into the chase, I was told [about being the concussion substitute]," Rana said after the match. "I have been preparing for a while, not just for this series. I have been waiting for this moment [his debut] to prove myself. When I got the chance, I did not think of the circumstances and just thought about delivering. I have experience of bowling at the death [for KKR in the IPL] and relied on that."
The fifth and final T20I of the series will be played on February 2 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. It will be interesting to see how Srinath responds to the question Buttler poses as England have already lost the series.
