The debate surrounding the inclusion of injury substitutes in cricket has gained fresh momentum following Rishabh Pant’s painful setback during the ongoing fourth Test between India and England in Manchester. On Day 1, Pant suffered a toe injury after inside-edging a low full toss from Chris Woakes onto his right foot while attempting a reverse sweep. Wincing in pain, he retired hurt and was taken for scans, missing the remainder of the day.
To the surprise of many, Pant returned on Day 2 despite visibly struggling to walk, limping through his innings as he courageously brought up a half-century. Subsequent medical scans confirmed a toe fracture, with reports suggesting that he has been advised to rest for at least six weeks. His determination reignited discussions about whether cricket should permit injury substitutes, particularly in cases where players are unable to continue playing.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has come out in favour of introducing injury substitutes, believing it’s time for the game to evolve. However, former players like Alastair Cook and Parthiv Patel voiced concerns about teams potentially abusing such a rule for tactical gains.
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Batting icon Sunil Gavaskar added his voice to the mix, strongly advocating for injury subs while criticizing the ICC’s decision to allow concussion substitutes. “You are offering a like-for-like replacement for incompetence,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Sony Sports. “If someone can’t handle short-pitched bowling, they shouldn’t be playing Test cricket. Go play tennis or golf instead.”
Sunil Gavaskar emphasised that genuine injuries, such as Pant’s, warrant replacements and suggested that the ICC establish a dedicated committee to evaluate this proposal.
“This is a clear case of injury. There should be a substitute. A specific committee, perhaps comprising doctors and cricket experts, should assess such situations,” he urged.
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The Indian legend also cautioned against letting current power dynamics influence decisions. “If this committee is formed under ICC officials closely linked to India, the English and Australian media might accuse it of bias. So, form a neutral, independent panel to avoid such backlash,” Gavaskar concluded.
With voices growing on both sides of the debate, the Pant incident could well be the tipping point for a rule change that cricket might need in the modern era.
