Australia coach Justin Langer has blown up at match referee and former teammate David Boon after India star Ravi Jadeja was controversially allowed a concussion replacement in the opening T20 international in Canberra.
Langer was incensed before Australia started its pursuit of 7-161 after the ICC officials allowed India's 12th man Yuzvendra Chahal to replace Jadeja at the bowling crease.
Jadeja rescued India's innings with 44 not out off 23 balls despite appearing to sustain a hamstring injury.
He battled through but was then struck in the helmet by Mitchell Starc in the final over of India's innings.
Jadeja kept batting and scored nine more runs from three balls before India's medical team deemed he was not fit to take the field in the innings break.
"Should he have had a concussion test then and there?
"You can't really have it both ways," former Australia star Mark Waugh opined on Fox Cricket.
"You can't have a substitute who can then bowl for you, but still bat on."
Chahal took 3-25 from his four overs as India went on to post a comfortable victory.
"He might get man of the match off the bench," Waugh said.
"Has that ever happened before?"
The concussion substitute rule was introduced by the ICC last year.
Marnus Labuschagne came in for Steve Smith in the 2019 Ashes series, the first time the rule had been used.
Adam Gilchrist also weighed in.
"I would assume the Australian management would be saying wouldn't there be protocols that need to be met to make that judgement?
"It was nine off three more deliveries, a pretty important nine," Gilchrist said.
"In any case it was a bad hamstring injury, bad enough for him to not come out and bowl.
"He got a lot of medical attention and had that right hamstring strapped up by the trainer."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan, meanwhile, was sceptical on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1334811533973594112?s=20https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/1334817951321567235?s=20
Jadeja's fitness for the rest of the T20s and Test series is now under a cloud.
Australia captain Aaron Finch also appeared to be struggling with a hamstring injury during his innings.
– With Chris De Silva
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