Concussion Substitute In Cricket

The concussion substitute is also known as concussion replacement. While playing, if the person cannot play due to physical injury or physical inability, then the umpire of the game allow another person to play instead of that person in a team. Cricket has various types of substitutions, they are tactical substitute, concussion substitute and covid substitute. Due to the global pandemic, the covid substitution is introduced by the International cricket council.  This article will give all the information about the ICC concussion substitute rule. 

When Players Can Utilize Concussion Substitutes? 

As per the concussion substitute or replacement rule in cricket, a substitute can replace the player who is injured or ill.  The team members can have a 'like-for-like' substitution with the knowledge of an umpire. 

Rules For Concussion Substitute

The list of ICC Concussion Substitute Rule is announced by the members of the international cricket council. So, the umpire of the match will permit concussion substitution for the following rules. 

The player who had a head or neck injury can move for a concussion substitute. Initially, they will be treated by the team medical representative for the Concussion or suspected Concussion and diagnosis. If the medical representative of the team prescribed the player for a concussion replacement, then the medical representative conveys the information to the ICC match referee. Later, he will submit the description of the incident time, symptoms and the concussion replacement. The medical officer needs to submit the request within 36 hours of the incident. 

According to Rule 1.2.8, a referee of the match will allow the player to avail for concussion substitute as given below. Here, the referee of the match will provide the like-for-like player for the match. 

The ICC match referee will consider the nominated Concussion Replacement and they will allow the concussed player to play the rest of the match. And after that, the concussion substitute will perform in the match instead of the main player. The ICC match referee will believe in the inclusion of the nominated Concussion Replacement and he/ she would play for the advancement of the team. During the time of selection, the ICC match referee also analyzes the fitness and the overriding objective of facilitating a like-for-like replacement of the player. 

According to Rule 1.2.9, No team members have the right to appeal against the decision of the match referee against the Concussion Replacement Request. 

As per Rule 1.2.10, once the player of the match was replaced by a concussion substitute by the ICC match referee, then the replaced player cannot take part in the match further on the same day. 

According to Rule 1.2.11, both the initial player and concussion replaced players records are considered and taken as a record for creating the statistics of the match. 

When The Concussion Substitute Introduced?

The International cricket council agreed to utilize the  Concussion Substitute in all the international cricket matches from July 2019. They also mentioned that the concussion substitution is possible only through "like-for-like replacement" and also only with the approval of the match referee. 

First Concussion Replacements

During the men’s cricket match in 2019, England and Australia are playing their second test match. English Cricketer Jofra Archer hit Australia's Steve Smith’s neck in the first innings. After the physiologist suggestion and approval of the match referee, Marnus Labuschagne replaced Steve Smith and played the match. 

During the women’s cricket match in 2019, the West Indian Cricketer Chinelle Henry got injured by hitting the advertising board in the ODI match field, while playing against India. That time, Shabika Gajnabi replaced Chinelle Henry and played the rest of the match. 

List Of Five Concussion Substitute In International Cricket  

1. Indian cricket team, which was led by Virat Kohli won its first T20 match on 04th December 2020. This match was played for three series against Australia. During this match, controversy arose between India and Australia when the leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took part in the match as a  Concussion Substitute for all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Later, he performed well in the match and lifted the 'Man of the Match'. This is mainly because the second ball of last over hit the helmet of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Then, the Indian team physiologist made a checkout and allowed him to play for three more balls. Later, the physiologist found Jadeja was struggling and appealed for a concussion substitute to give rest to Jadeja in the match. 

Later, the Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took the chance of Concussion Substitute and took part in the second innings. Meanwhile, the referee also approved the request in the innings break. But the Match referee David Boon did not inform about the concussion substitute to Australia's coach Justin Langer and it paved way for controversies. Later, they suppressed the controversies by examining Jadeja in a separate room. 

2. In the 2019 test match in Kolkata, two Bangladesh batsmen Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan were hurt by the day and night matches against India. They were also hurt by Mohammed Shami’s bouncers. That time, Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam replaced Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan respectively and continued the match.  This was the first time, that Bangladesh moved for the cricket concussion substitute rule twice in the same test match. 

3. As per the concussion substitute rule in cricket, Once Mehidy scored 8 runs in the second innings and he could not bowl further. So, he was replaced with a batsman for the match. At that time Taiijul Islam was allowed for both batting and bowling.  In the second innings, he ended up in the match by scoring 11 runs.    

4. In the Melbourne, ICC women’s T20 world cup match 2020, Indian women wicketkeeper and batter Taniya Bhatia acquired a neck injury by hitting a ball. So, she moved to the situation to leave the field.  According to Concussion Substitute or Replacement Rule in Cricket,  Richa Ghosh entered the match and became the first concussion substitute in a T20I across men’s and women’s cricket. At the end of the wicket, she scored 18 runs.

5. In the ODI match in Bengaluru 2020. Rishabh pant got injured while batting. This was the 1st ODI match against Australia. As Rishabh pant got injured and cannot be as a further part of the game. So, they decided to utilize the concussion substitute rule in cricket and as per the physiologist request, the referee allowed K L Rahul to take part in the match and held a position behind the stumps, while India came to fielding.