Rana not a like-for-like replacement for Dube, says Buttler

England skipper Jos Buttler expressed his disappointment with India's decision to play Harshit Rana as concussion substitute for all-rounder Shivam Dube in the fourth T20I, staged at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Dube, after being hit on the helmet by Jamie Overton in the final over of India's innings, did not take the field during England's chase. Ramandeep Singh was on the field for the powerplay overs, and it seemed like he was the concussion substitute. However, pacer Harshit Rana was eventually named the concussion substitute, and the 23-year-old turned out to be the game-changer, taking the wickets of Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell and Overton, and played a crucial role in the hosts' 15-run series-defining win.

When Rana took the wicket of Livingstone, Kevin Pietersen was on the air, and he alluded to the fact that Buttler wasn't happy with India's choice of the concussion substitute.

"He [Rana] is not the like-to-like replacement for Shivam Dube. You ask anyone in the world, and they will say the same thing. Dube is not a genuine pacer, but Rana is. Knight also echoed these thoughts," Pietersen had said on air.