CANBERRA:The Australia team on Friday said that they were fine with Ravindra Jadeja being replaced by a concussion substitute after the first innings but their main contention was that it should have been a like-for-like replacement and not legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Chahal picked three for 25 to win man-of-the-match award and help India win the first T20 International. The wickets he took were of captain Aaron Finch, Steve Smith and Matthew Wade. He had come in place of Jadeja, who was hit on the head in the last over by a delivery from Mitchell Starc.
Jadeja had earlier struggled with a hamstring injury in the 19th over and it seemed likely that he wouldn’t even be able to field, let alone bowl. Australia all-rounder Moises Henriques said that replacing Jadeja with Chahal was not fine although they did not have any issue with concussion substitute. “The like-for-like for me was one is an all-rounder, gun fielder and the other one is out and out bowler who bats at 11. That is the only thing from my point of view. It had nothing to do with his hammy (hamstring). I’d like to look at it as like-for-like decision,” said Henriques in the post-match press conference before adding that the decision of replacing him with a concussion substitute was fine as it was made by medical professionals.
India skipper Virat Kohli made it clear that the team had no plans to play Yuzvendra Chahal in the opening T20I against Australia. Not only did fate see Chahal walk in to bowl, but also the spinner ended with the Man of the Match award at the Manuka Oval on Friday. “There were no plans of having Yuzi in the game. Concussion replacements are a strange thing. Today, it worked for us. Yuzi showed character to squeeze the opponents. I thought they had a great start. They were cruising. The batters offered us a few wickets. That is T20 cricket for you,” Kohli said at the end of the game.