Daijiworld Media Network - Manchester
Manchester, Jul 28: A debate has erupted in the cricketing world as India head coach Gautam Gambhir and England captain Ben Stokes expressed sharply opposing views on the idea of introducing injury replacements in Test cricket.
The discussion was sparked by the dramatic events of the drawn fourth Test in Manchester, where Rishabh Pant played a gritty innings despite fracturing his right foot on Day 1. The wicketkeeper-batter returned to the crease the next day to complete a brave half-century but was unable to take the field thereafter. Dhruv Jurel filled in as wicketkeeper, but ICC rules prevented him from batting in the second innings.
In the post-match press conference, Gambhir lauded Pant’s resilience and said it was time for the ICC to expand substitution rules to cover serious external injuries, provided the match referee and umpires confirm the severity.
"Any amount of praise is not enough for Pant. If it's a visible and major injury, why shouldn’t teams be allowed a replacement? You can't expect a team to play with 10 men in a closely fought Test series. That’s just unfair," Gambhir said.
Currently, the ICC allows mid-match replacements only in cases of concussion or Covid-19.
However, Ben Stokes flatly rejected the idea, warning it could be easily abused by teams under the guise of minor injuries.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous. There would be too many loopholes. You could MRI any bowler and claim inflammation to bring in someone fresh. That’s not in the spirit of the game,” said Stokes.
He emphasized that while concussion protocols were essential for player safety, allowing general injury substitutes could open a Pandora’s box of tactical manipulations.
"Injuries are part of the game. You pick your XI, and you deal with what happens next. If you open this door, you’ll never be able to close it," Stokes argued.
As the ICC continues to evaluate evolving player welfare issues, this fresh divide between two high-profile voices reflects the larger debate between tradition and flexibility in modern Test cricket. Whether the governing body will act remains to be seen, but the conversation is far from over.