In the 4th T20I match between India and England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, the hosts secured a 15-run victory, bowling England out for 166 while they chased a target of 181. While fans celebrated India's win, no high-stakes match is complete without some controversy or drama.

The issue arose when India decided to bring in Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute for Shivam Dube. England captain Jos Buttler was unhappy with the replacement, asserting that Rana was not a like-for-like substitute—a view shared by commentators Kevin Pietersen and Nick Knight. 

🚨 UPDATE 🚨

Harshit Rana is the concussion substitute for Shivam Dube.

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— BCCI (@BCCI) January 31, 2025

 Coming to bat, Dube scored 53 off 34 balls, but was struck on the helmet by Jamie Overton in the final over. Seeing he did not take the field during England's chase, the Men in Blue submitted Rana's name as the substitute—a decision that drew criticism. "It is not a like-for-like replacement. We don’t agree with that," Buttler said during the post-match presentation. "Either Shivam Dube has put on about 25mph with the ball, or Harshit has really improved his batting.

"There was no consultation with us. As I walked out to bat, I asked who Harshit was replacing, and they said it was a concussion sub, which I obviously disagreed with. The match referee made the decision without our input. We’ll seek clarity from Javagal [Srinath].

"That said, it wasn’t the sole reason we lost. We had our chances but didn’t take them." 

Comes on as concussion substitute...
... and strikes soon after he's given the ball

Harshit Rana gives #TeamIndia their 4th success with the ball!

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— BCCI (@BCCI) January 31, 2025

Kevin Pietersen was vocal in his criticism, stating, "You ask anyone, and they’ll say the same thing—Rana is not a like-for-like replacement for Dube." Knight agreed, emphasizing that Dube is not a genuine pacer, unlike Rana. 

However, according to India's assistant coach Morne Morkel, "Shivam came off with mild headache symptoms. We submitted a name to the match referee, who made the final call. At the time, Harshit was having dinner, and we had to get him ready quickly." 

It may not have been the ideal way to receive his debut cap, but despite the controversy, Rana delivered a sensational performance. Introduced in the 12th over, he dismissed Liam Livingstone with his second delivery and went on to claim three wickets in his full quota of overs. He also took the catch to dismiss Buttler, who was visibly frustrated and exchanged words with England head coach Brendon McCullum—possibly regarding the substitution decision. 

Chopped 🔛

Wicket No. 3⃣ for Harshit Rana! 👌 👌#TeamIndia a wicket away from a win!

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— BCCI (@BCCI) January 31, 2025

Talking about his debut, Rana said, "Two overs into the chase, I was told I’d be playing. I didn’t think about the circumstances—just about delivering. I have experience bowling at the death and relied on that."

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