Peter Handscomb calls for rule clarification as concussion substitute comes closer to fruition

Cricket Australia may be set to push the ICC to bring in its concussion substitute rule at Test level but Peter Handscomb, for one, wants some clarification on a few key points first.

Peter Handscomb likes the rule but says changes need to be made.

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Victoria captain Peter Handscomb wants the concussion substitute rule cleared up as calls for it to go live in international cricket grow louder.

News Corp Australia on Fridayrevealed Cricket Australia was satisfied with its two-year domestic trial and is set to push the ICC to bring it in at Test level.

But while CA mandates like-for-like replacements, that is open for interpretation and potentially manipulation.

Handscomb pointed to an “interesting” switch pulled by Western Australia against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield this season.

Peter Handscomb likes the rule but says changes need to be made.

Right-arm quick Matthew Kelly was felled by a Chris Tremain bouncer and replaced by leg-spinner Usman Qadir, who made his Shield debut.

“Yes, it’s a bowler for a bowler, but is a leg-spinner for a quick a like-for-like replacement or not?” Handscomb said.

“Does that mean it’s just a bowler for a bowler or does it have to be a right-arm quick for a right-arm quick?

“And if they don’t have another right-arm quick then what happens? That’s where I feel there’s that grey area that kind of needs to be nutted out.

“But I think it’s a good rule. I definitely think it’s got a place in the game.”

Substitutes are confined to players available at the ground so finding appropriate replacements is often tricky.

But CA sports science and sports medicine manager Alex Kountouris said the rule was being used in good faith.

“A team might be nine wickets down and someone gets a concussion and the person that replaces them might be a better batter,” Kountouris said.

“But that hasn’t happened. If it’s a fast bowler we want a fast bowler to replace them because you don’t want a spinner coming on in the second innings and it’s a turning wicket.

“Having said that, we’re being practical.”

Kountouris said both captains must agree on the replacement. If there is a dispute it is sent to the match referee, although that is yet to happen.

“At some point I’m sure there’ll be some controversy like every sub rule but it hasn’t happened,” he said.

Will Pucovski was replaced in a game last year for Victoria by dan Christian.

Victorian batting prodigy Will Pucovski was replaced by all-rounder Dan Christian last year although coach Andrew McDonald and captain Aaron Finch chose not to bowl Christian out of fairness.

“That was a decision they made, that’s not in our policy,” Kountouris said.

Kountouris said without a substitute both the concussed player and the medical staff were vulnerable to anxiety due to the pressure to not let the team down.

“The ICC will review it later this year and either decide to keep allowing us to do it at domestic level or potentially bring it on at international level,” he said.

“It’s not an easy thing to do. You have to have someone to make the right diagnosis, you need to have substitutes available and like-for-like players available.

“We need to get rid of all the bugs and understand the nuisances around it.

“But it’s definitely doable and we’re hoping that at some point it comes in.”