After his controversial absence during Australia's innings in the first T20I of the three-match series between India and Australia, Ravindra Jadeja has been declared unfit for the remaining two matches. India have declared Shardul Thakur as the replacement for the all-rounder.
A formal statement from BCCI stated: "The diagnosis was confirmed based on a clinical assessment in the dressing room during the innings break by the BCCI Medical Team."
The concussion which forced Jadeja to be replaced by Yuzvendra Chahal as the concussion substitute has, apparently, been more serious than initially imagined. Jadeja was hit on the helmet by a Mitchell Starc bouncer in the final over of India's innings. He continued to bat and added a vital nine more runs to the innings.
However, when the news of the all-rounder being replaced midway through the game was communicated to Australian camp, it brought on a furious reaction from the team's coach Justin Langer. He was seen arguing animatedly with match refereee David Boon.
The issue didn't escalate as Aussie captain Aaron Finch didn't question it during the post-match presentation ceremony and expressed his approval of the medical examination that judged Jadeja to be concussed. The protests are going to die down completely with the injury having been judged serious enough to deny the in-form player's services to the team.
Shardul came back into the Indian side for the third and final ODI at Canberra, where he picked up three crucial wickets in an impressive performance. Even though he isn't an all-rounder like Jadeja, his bowling prowess has been deemed valuable enough by the Indian team management to get him back in the squad.
However, Jadeja's absence will hurt India's chances as it was his batting that proved to be the difference between both teams in the first T20I as well as the last ODI. In the first match of the ongoing series, he scored an unbeated 44 off just 23 balls to give India a target they successfully defended.
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