AUS v IND | 1st T20I: Moises Henriques questions Chahal’s status as like-for-like substitute for Jadeja

Moises Henriques who picked up three crucial wickets for Australia and played a good knock with the bat, could not guide Australia past the finishing line in the first T20I against India. Moises Henriques stated after the match that Australia had no problem with Ravindra Jadeja being substituted for a concussion but questioned whether Yuzvendra Chahal was a like-for-like replacement.

Yuzvendra Chahal picked up three important wickets which guided India to a victory and his performance with the ball earned Chahal a man of the match award. He had figures of three wickets for 25 runs in his four overs. In the first innings, Ravindra Jadeja scored a quickfire 44 which guided India to a score of 161.

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However, Ravindra Jadeja was struck by a ball on his helmet and suffered from a concussion. He was also struggling with a hamstring injury while he was batting. Yuzvendra Chahal replaced Jadeja as a concussion substitute and was allowed to bowl, much to the dismay of Justin Langer. In the innings break, Langer was seen arguing with the match referee, David Boon.

Moises Henriques gives his own view on the like-for-like replacement question

“From our point as a player you’ve just got to roll and get on with it,” Henriques said. “Once a decision has been made you just move forward and do what you can to win the fixture. When you’ve got professionals in place to make those decisions, and there’s no doubt he got a knock on the helmet, so from my point of view I do like to try and see the best in everyone,” said Moises Henriques.

“But having said that, whether it was a like-for-like replacement, that’s the only thing moving forward, that’s the question we’d like to see,” added the Australian all rounder. “Like for like, from my point of view, it would definitely be one’s an all rounder and a gun fielder, and the other one is an out-and-out bowler who bats [at] 11. That’s the only thing from my point of view. I’d like to look into if that’s a like-for-like decision,” concluded Moises Henriques.

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Ravindra Jadeja was already struggling with a hamstring injury and it was unclear whether he would bowl in the second innings. However, he did suffer from a concussion as confirmed by the health officials. The final decision rested in the hands of David Boon, the match referee.

The ICC concussion rules state, “In assessing whether the nominated concussion replacement should be considered a like-for-like player, the ICC Match Referee should consider the likely role the concussed player would have played during the remainder of the match, and the normal role that would be performed by the nominated concussion replacement.”

India defeated Australia by 11 runs after all the confusion regarding the concussion substitute. Virat Kohli and his men have taken a 1-0 lead in the three match T20I series with the second match scheduled on Sunday.