Manchester, July 28
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has advocated for the introduction of injury replacements in Test cricket, suggesting that teams should be permitted to bring in a substitute player in the event of a serious external injury during a match, while England captain Ben Stokes expressed a contrasting viewpoint, calling it a 'ridiculous' idea.
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant retired hurt on the first day of the drawn fourth Test in Manchester but courageously returned to the crease the next day with a broken right foot and added a further 17 runs to score a half-century. India were able to use Dhruv Jurel, a substitute, as their wicketkeeper in Pant's place, but he would not have been available to bat in their second innings.
Gambhir praised Pant's bravery and voiced strong support for a rule that would permit teams to bring in a replacement under such instances.
"Any amount of praise is not enough for him... Absolutely, I'm all for it. If the umpires and the match referee sees and feels that it is a major injury, I think it's very important. It's very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute, that is, if it's (the injury) very visible.