“He would have bowled four overs for sure today” - Gautam Gambhir’s hilarious response to concussion controversy in IND vs ENG 2025 4th T20I

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir had a hilarious response when asked about the concussion substitute controversy that transpired in the fourth T20I against England in Pune. With the series on the line at 2-1 in favor of India, the hosts were provided a go-ahead to replace batting all-rounder Shivam Dube with specialist pacer Harshit Rana for their bowling innings.

Dube was struck on his helmet by a Jamie Overton short delivery with a ball remaining in the Indian innings after he had scored a crucial half-century. His replacement, Harshit Rana, then produced a game-changing spell of 3/33 in four overs to stifle England's run chase.

India eventually won by 15 runs to seal the series, causing outrage among former England players and current skipper Jos Buttler.

Fast forward to the series finale in Mumbai and Dube, much to England's dismay, played in the XI and picked up two wickets in as many overs in India's massive 150-run win.

When asked by Kevin Pietersen about the concussion substitute controversy that marred the Pune T20I after the series finale in Mumbai, Gambhir cheekily responded:

"He would have bowled four overs for sure today." [via Indian Express].

Pietersen was one of the many former England players who criticized the allowance of Rana to replace Dube as the concussion substitute in the fourth T20I.

"Concussion sub is quite the topic everywhere here at the moment and my view is...it was NEVER a like-for-like replacement and the match referee should just hold his hand up and say he got that one wrong. End of event for good and we move on to another great clash this evening," he said [via NDTV].

For context on Gautam Gambhir's remarks, Dube bowled only two overs as England folded for 97 in under 11 overs in response to India's 247 in the Mumbai encounter.

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"It is about having the No. 8 batter" - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir said the need for a batter at No.8 pushed India to go with a lone specialist pacer in the 11 throughout the England T20I series. Apart from pace-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya, the Men in Blue alternated between Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami as their lone specialist pacers in the playing XI for all five matches.

They went with three spinners in all five T20Is and four in the second and third T20Is with the presence of Washington Sundar.

"It is about having the No. 8 batter, even if he does not face too many balls, because of the kind of cricket that we are playing. We want to go as hard as possible and sometimes that cushion of having that No. 8 would free up the top 7 more," said Gambhir.

Meanwhile, India have won 28 out of their last 31 T20I games, including their last five bilateral T20I series.

The two teams will now meet in a three-match ODI series, starting in Nagpur on February 6.