The "Concussion Substitute Rule" in cricket is a regulation introduced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to allow teams to replace a player who has suffered a concussion during a match. Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can occur in various sports, including cricket, and the rule was implemented to prioritize the safety and well-being of players.
Under the Concussion Substitute Rule:
If a player on the fielding team is concussed, they can be replaced by a like-for-like substitute. This means that the substitute should be of a similar skill set, such as a batter for a batter or a bowler for a bowler.
If a player on the batting team is concussed, they can also be replaced by a like-for-like substitute, as long as they have not already been dismissed in the innings. If the concussed player has already been dismissed, they cannot be replaced.
The substitute player can bat, bowl, and field, just like any other player in the team.
The replacement player can remain in the game even if the concussed player recovers later in the match. However, they cannot bat, bowl, or field once the original player is fit to resume their role.
What Is a Like-for-Like Replacement?
Like-for-like means that the substitute must be a similar type of player to the one that the player is being replaced. For example, if a specialist bowler has been concussed and has to leave the match, another bowler must replace them which should be of similar type of bowler.
It would be unfair, in this scenario, to bring in an all-rounder. Similarly, a batsman should be replaced by a similar batsman in the case of the concussion.
Who was the First Concussion Substitute?
The first concussion substitute under the ICC ruling was Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne who came in for Steve Smith at Lord’s in 2019. Smith had been hit by a Jofra Archer bouncer and after that he left the game. It was unfortunate for Smith but a good break for Labuschagne who scored 59 in the second innings and announced himself successfully in the international career.
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