Rishabh Pant’s brave half-century while battling a fractured toe has sparked fresh debate in the cricketing world — and former Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar hasn’t held back. While many praised Pant’s grit for returning to bat on Day 2 of the Manchester Test after being injured on Day 1, Gavaskar used the moment to call out the ICC’s current substitution rules and push for changes.
Gavaskar Questions Concussion Subs, Backs Injury Replacements
Pant was visibly in pain after injuring his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes. The ball struck his boot, forcing him to retire hurt and undergo scans, which revealed a toe fracture. Although he returned the next day and scored a gutsy fifty, his struggle reignited the conversation about whether a proper injury substitute should be allowed in such cases.
Speaking on Sony Sports, Gavaskar didn’t mince words.
“I’ve always felt that giving a like-for-like substitute for incompetence is wrong,” he said, referring to the ICC’s concussion substitute rule.
“If you can’t handle short-pitched bowling, maybe you shouldn’t be playing Test cricket. Go play tennis or golf instead.”
Gavaskar’s comments reflect frustration over the current rules, which allow concussion subs but don’t account for serious injuries like Pant’s unless it’s a head impact.
‘There Has to Be a Substitute for Clear Injuries’
The batting great believes injuries like Pant’s deserve proper substitution and called on the ICC to form a committee that can address the issue more thoughtfully.
“This is a clear injury. A substitute must be allowed,” he emphasized.
“I want a neutral panel — maybe with doctors — to assess such cases and make decisions. The current cricket committee, chaired by Sourav Ganguly with Jay Shah and Sanjog Gupta in key ICC roles, may not be the right body to handle this specific matter.”
Avoiding the ‘Indian Bias’ Narrative
Gavaskar also made a pointed remark about how media narratives in England and Australia often question rule changes when Indian players are involved.
“To avoid all the noise of ‘Oh, it’s only because it’s an Indian player,’ this needs to be handled by an entirely different committee,” he said.
As the debate intensifies, Gavaskar’s strong stance has added fuel to the call for a revised approach to substitutions in cricket — one that prioritizes fairness and player safety, rather than rigid tradition.
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