Yuzvendra Chahal became the first concussion substitute to be named the Man of the Match in international cricket as he took three wickets after replacing Ravindra Jadeja in the innings break. In the first innings, Jadeja had rescued India with an unbeaten 44 off 23 to give India something to bowl at in the first place, Cricinfo reports.
When Chahal came on to bowl, Australia were 54 for 0 in a chase of 162, but he struck to remove Aaron Finch and Steven Smith in his first two overs. His final analysis of 4-0-25-3 - he returned to dismiss Matthew Wade - earned him the match award.
Jadeja batted with a hamstring strain, which was apparent and had already put his participation for the rest of the match in doubt, but he was also hit on the helmet in the last over of India's innings.
Jadeja top-edged Mitchell Starc on to his helmet on the second ball of the 20th over. The blow was hard enough to ricochet off the helmet to backward point, where the catch was dropped. He wasn't given a concussion test on the spot. India's captain Virat Kohli said at the post-match presentation that Jadeja was dizzy when he came in and continued to remain so even after the match.
The ICC officials obviously approved the substitution, which meant they were satisfied based on the advice of India's team doctor that Jadeja was concussed, and that Chahal was a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja, both being spinners.
Australia coach Justin Langer, though, was seen remonstrating with match referee David Boon just before the start of the chase. Finch also stood by during the discussion, but didn't appear to say anything. At the presentation, Finch said you can't question expert advice, and that that was the end of the matter.
It could be argued that in T20 cricket, a wristspinner is a big improvement on a fingerspinner, but such an assessment rests with the match referee. The ICC playing conditions say: "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."
The concussion assessment was carried out by India's team doctor and BCCI's anti-doping manager Abhijit Salvi, and their physio Nitin Patel. "Ravindra Jadeja was hit on the helmet in the final over of the first innings of the first T20I," the BCCI tweeted. "Yuzvendra Chahal will take the field in the 2nd innings as a concussion substitute. Jadeja is currently being assessed by the BCCI Medical Team."
This concussion might put Jadeja in doubt for the rest of the series, because head injuries are required to be dealt with seriously, and players are not rushed back in two days' time, which is when the next match will be played. The ICC protocol says: "Generally, concussion symptoms will settle within two-three days and a player diagnosed with a concussion is ready to return in about a week but, in some individuals, this time might be shorter or longer. Medical oversight, as occurs in elite teams, is essential if a player is to return to play within a week or on a subsequent day of a multi-day match."
Kohli remarked that the concussion substitute rule might have worked to their advantage on the day - having originally dropped Chahal on a surface that gripped - but on another day they might not have a like-for-like replacement in the squad.
