India will be without Ravindra Jadeja for the remaining Twenty20 matches due a concussion sustained in his team’s first-match win by 11 runs over Australia.
Key points:
- Ravi Jadeja edged a Mitchell Starc short ball onto his own head late in India’s innings
- Jadeja also injured his hamstring, and the Australian camp questioned his mid-match substitution
- Shardul Thakur will replace Jadeja for the two remaining T20s
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement that the all-rounder had sustained a concussion “when hit on the left side of his forehead in the final over of India’s innings”.
Jadeja top-edged a bouncer from Mitchell Starc into his helmet while batting in the final over of India’s innings, but did not receive an on-field assessment.
“Jadeja remains under observation and will be taken for further scans if required. He will not take any further part in the ongoing T20 series,” the statement said.
The Australian team was left angered when Jadeja was subbed out of the match at the change of innings, replaced by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal — who went on to take three wickets in a man-of-the-match performance.
Jadeja had also appeared to have injured his hamstring during his batting innings, and received treatment for that before the final over. He did not undergo any on-field concussion tests immediately after the blow from Starc.
Australian coach Justin Langer could be seen in heated discussion with match referee David Boon in the innings break, as Jadeja was replaced by Chahal.
“It has nothing to do with his hammy. He did cop a knock on the helmet so it’s tough to say either way,” Moises Henriques said after the game.
“There’s a lot of grey area there. I take it for what it is.
“I think it caught everyone off guard that they used the concussion sub, because he finished his innings. But there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Henriques also questioned if the switch of Chahal for Jadeja was a fair like-for-like substitution.
“The like-for-like is one is an allrounder and a gun fielder, and the other one is an out-and-out bowler who bats number 11.”
Shardul Thakur will replace Jadeja for the two remaining games on Sunday and Tuesday, both in Sydney.
ABC/Wires
