Pietersen slams concussion call, weighs in on India’s T20I win!
India dominated England in the five-match T20I series, winning 4-1. Kevin Pietersen believes the outcome could have been different if the concussion substitution in the fourth T20I had been handled correctly. Harshit Rana replaced Shivam Dube in that match and took three key wickets, sealing India’s victory in Pune.
India’s win in Pune secured the series before the final match in Mumbai, where they crushed England by 150 runs. The decision to allow Harshit as a replacement drew criticism from Ravichandran Ashwin, Aakash Chopra, Nick Knight, and Sunil Gavaskar. England captain Jos Buttler took a jab at the situation during the toss for the fifth T20I, sarcastically mentioning England’s use of “four impact subs.”
Pietersen expressed his frustration, stating that a fair decision in the fourth match could have shifted momentum. “If the concussion sub had been done correctly, England might have leveled the series 2-2 heading into the final T20I at Wankhede,” he said.
With the T20I series wrapped up, India has bolstered its ODI squad by adding Varun Chakaravarthy. The spinner, who claimed 14 wickets in the T20I series, earned the Player of the Series award. The upcoming three-match ODI series begins on February 6 in Nagpur, followed by matches in Cuttack and Ahmedabad.
Pietersen believes England will handle Chakaravarthy better in ODIs. “In the longer format, batters have more time to adjust. Not every ball is an event. England will approach him differently,” he said.
The ODI series concludes a week before the Champions Trophy, giving both teams a final opportunity to fine-tune their squads. India aims to continue its winning form, while England looks for redemption after a disappointing T20I series.
