The first T20I between India and Australia in Canberra on Friday (December 4) saw Yuzvendra Chahal replacing Ravindra Jadeja as a concussion substitute after the latter was hit on the helmet by pacer Mitchell Starc in the final over of India’s innings.

As it turned out, Chahal, who was originally not named in the playing XI, claimed 3 wickets by conceding 25 runs in his four overs to help the visitors register a convincing 11-run victory.

The incident of Jadeja’s concussion has sparked a huge debate in the cricket fraternity, with many accusing India of doing it tactically.

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Meanwhile, the Indian team management has dismissed the claims, insisting that the call was made purely to safeguard their all-rounder's health.

"Sanju was the first one to see it. He immediately informed Mayank (Agarwal), who was seated next to him, that the blow was flush on the helmet. And Mayank then ran up to inform the team management," Cricbuzz quoted a source quoted as saying.

"We immediately called for the team doctor and he started icing Jadeja's head and neck. We were quite worried. But even after a while he told us he was feeling groggy," he added.

Jadeja had injured his hamstring in the previous over from Josh Hazlewood and had even received treatment from the team physio. Then came the blow to the head which led to Chahal replacing Jadeja as a concussion substitute.

This move infuriated quite a few individuals in the Australian camp, including head coach Justin Langer, who was seen having an animated conversation with match referee David Boon.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, all-rounder Moises Henriques wondered if it was a like-for-like replacement.

"At that point, we didn't even focus on his hamstring. It was all about ensuring that he get immediate help. We now know all about head trauma injuries and how dangerous it can be. Our focus was to purely make sure he's feeling better. And once the doctor had assessed him, we felt like we had no choice but to consult David Boon regarding the protocols for getting a concussion substitute," the source explained.

"It's quite ridiculous that someone would think we would use one of our batsmen getting hit on the head as a tactic for anything," he added.

Coming to the “like for like” replacement, a senior team official said that the two choices the Indians had were Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah.

"What then transpired between Langer and Boon, we have no idea about. No one from our dressing-room was near that scene," he said.

(Inputs from Cricbuzz)