Shardul Thakur Concussion Call Puts MI Umpires Under the Scanner
Mumbai Indians are in hot water again. Their decision to bring on Shardul Thakur as a concussion substitute for Mitchell Santner in the match against CSK has sparked a full-blown controversy.
Santner hurt his shoulder taking a catch off Bumrah. MI immediately requested a concussion sub. The match referee approved it. Problem: concussion substitutes are only permitted under IPL rules for head or neck injuries.
Head coach Mahela Jayawardene defended the call. He said Santner also hit his head on the ground and may have twisted his neck in the process. Replays suggested that could be the case.
But the optics were bad. And the result made it worse. Even Shardul’s arrival couldn’t save MI — they lost by 103 runs.
“Every man knows his role,” Jayawardene said. The umpires are still being asked to explain theirs.