"Absolute madness": Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen fume over Harshit Rana-Shivam Dube concussion sub drama

England National Cricket Team legends Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook were quite furious after Harshit Rana's inclusion in the India National Cricket Team playing XI in the fourth T20I as a concussion substitute.

Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook felt that the decision to allow pacer Harshit Rana to be the concussion substitute for all-rounder Shivam Dube was absolutely wrong, as it gave India an unfair advantage.

Also Read: Harshit Rana confesses Gautam Gambhir's role in concussion substitute drama in IND vs ENG 4th T20I

Harshit Rana-Shivam Dube concussion sub drama raises huge controversy

In the 20th over of the first innings, all-rounder Shivam Dube got concussed at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Jamie Overton's brutal bouncer hit Dube straight on the helmet as he went for a pull.

Dube played a brilliant innings in the match as he slammed 53 runs off 34 balls. After he got concussed, India decided to bring in Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute in the second innings.

Rana got the opportunity to make his T20I debut, and he emerged as a match-winner for India. He bowled all four overs and took three wickets by giving away just 33 runs.

Rana coming in as a concussion substitute for Dube didn't go down well with the former cricketers, and the England captain Buttler also looked quite furious at the decision.

This is because Dube is a batting all-rounder, who can bowl a few overs here and there, while Harshit is an out-and-out fast bowler who even clocked 150 kmph in the Pune T20I. Many felt that the ICC's rules and regulations were not followed as Harshit was not a "like-for-like" replacement for Dube.

It seems absolute madness that you are allowed to do it - Alastair Cook

Speaking on TNT Sports, Alastair Cook expressed shock at Rana replacing Dube by labeling it as 'absolute madness' and opined that the decision made no sense.

“Replacing a big-hitting batting all-rounder, who has bowled one over in the IPL [in 2024], with a guy who can't bat and bowls heavy seam makes no sense to me whatsoever," Alastair Cook said.

“It seems absolute madness that you are allowed to do it, but credit to the lad on debut, but he shouldn't be allowed to play there. It gave the captain another brilliant option.”

Jos Buttler was not happy with the substitute - Kevin Pietersen

Meanwhile, speaking on-air Kevin Pietersen pointed out that Jos Buttler was angry with the concussion substitute drama as he had a chat with the coach. Pietersen said that Rana was not a like-for-like replacement for Dube and felt that the incident would become a major talking point.

"I'm not sure he is like for like. Jos Buttler was not happy with the substitute before getting out. He was fuming after he got out, walked straight to the dugout, and had a word with the coach because he thought it was not like for like," said Kevin Pietersen.

"I think the key here is that if you have a look at Shivam Dube, and you ask anybody in the world whether Harshit Rana is a like-for-like replacement, I'm not so sure anyone would have said that they are," Kevin Pietersen added.

"I think it's going to be a very big discussion if England go down there and Harshit Rana picks up four for nothing," said Kevin Pietersen.