‘If there is a concussion, and there is a concussion rule, why not use it’: Gautam Gambhir

Ravindra Jadeja and his concussion have become a hot topic of discussion since Friday. Jadeja was struck on the helmet by one of Mitchell Starc’s deliveries in the last over of India’s innings. Jadeja continued to till the last ball and was deemed as being concussed by the doctors. The Indian team was granted a concussion substitute in Yuzvendra Chahal who eventually won the man of the match award for his efforts on Friday.

However, the Australian team and some former cricketers were not happy about the decision. While Michael Vaughan questioned the veracity of the decision, Tom Moody was happy with the protocols followed during the whole ordeal.

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Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has also opened up about the incident, saying that if there is a concussion rule then India had the right to use it.

“It’s the match referee call as well. What he thinks about it, that’s more important. I know Justin Langer would be unhappy because Ravindra Jadeja was batting, and he had a hamstring niggle as well. And getting someone like Yuzvendra Chahal who is probably a very, very good T20 bowler. He would expect it to make things worst for Australia and it did. Because the kind of impact he had in the 2nd innings, was huge from India’s point of view,” Gambhir told ESPNCricinfo.

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“I understand that Australia must be frustrated, but it could be a delayed concussion as well. If there is a concussion, and there is a concussion rule, why not use it. India used it to the best of their advantage bringing in a wrist spinner. We kept talking about India may miss a wrist spinner and they did not miss the wrist spinner. He had a huge impact on this game. If there is actually concussion, so it is fair on India to use that.”

India defeated Australia in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.