The substitute rule appears to have benefitted India in the third Test, with the tourists getting the best of both worlds: Rishahbh Pant’s explosive batting and Wriddhiman Saha’s superior wicket-keeping.
Pant was hit on the elbow while batting in the first innings, and when India fielded was replaced by sub keeper Saha — who performed flawlessly and took four catches.
In the past, substitute fielders were not able to keep wicket, but that rule was changed in 2017, meaning Saha could take the gloves.
In India’s second innings, Pant was once again fit enough to bat and lead a stirring fightback from India to remain unbeaten on 73 at the lunch break, with some raising concerns that India were taking advantage of the rule.
But ABC Sport commentator Stuart Clark said India were within their rights to use both players.
“He received an external blow. These are always very difficult for a match referee to objectively police,” he said.
“The rule allows him to not field. He sat off, recuperated, got his arm better and now he’s giving us a fine display with the bat.”
Concussion rule open to misuse: Clark
Clark said he was more concerned about the concussion substitute rule being misused.
Since 2019, the ICC has allowed concussed players to be replaced by a like-for-like substitute, who can bat, field and bowl.
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Clark isn’t a fan of the rule.
“If you’re concussed you need to go off. I think it’s ludicrous that it’s different if you have a hamstring tear,” he said.
“I agree that if you’ve got any signs of concussion, you need to be removed. And you need to be protected from yourself. But if the doctor deems you have concussion, you are removed from the field.
“However, you shouldn’t be given a free substitute. I want to protect the players as much as anyone. If the doc makes a decision and the player has to come off the field, that’s it. It will change batting techniques, people will need to learn to face short bowling.
But Clark also mused about a sliding doors moment in Australian cricket; when Marnus Labuschagne was introduced as a concussion sub for Steve Smith in the 2019 Ashes.
“That said, if it wasn’t for the concussion rule we would have never found Marnus Labuschagne,” he laughed.
Listen to ABC Sport’s live coverage of the third Test from the SCG.
