Ben Stokes mocks Gautam Gambhir’s injury substitute idea
- By Web Desk -
- Jul 28, 2025
England captain Ben Stokes rubbished the idea of an injury substitute in Tests after India coach Gautam Gambhir called for the introduction of the rule.
Gambhir’s suggestion came after India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant retired hurt during the side’s first innings of the fourth Test in Manchester.
While he returned to bat on the second day, he could not keep wickets and was also ruled out of the final Test at The Oval.
Following Pant’s injury, Gautam Gambhir emphasised the need for a rule to allow replacements for injured players.
“Absolutely, I’m all for it. If the umpires and the match referee sees and feels that is a major injury, I think it’s very important. It’s very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute – that is, if it’s very visible,” he said.
The India coach added, “There’s nothing wrong in doing that, especially in a series like this where it’s been such a closely fought series in the previous three Test matches. Imagine if we would’ve had to play with ten men against 11. How unfortunate would this be for us.”
Read more: England and India draw fourth Test as Gill leads tourists’ resistance
However, England captain Ben Stokes, who himself has been battling a knee problem for years, has dismissed the ‘absolutely ridiculous’ idea of injury replacements in Test cricket.
“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that there’s a conversation around an injury replacement,” he said during a post-match talk following the fourth Test.
While Ben Stokes called the concussion replacement rule essential for players’ safety in all formats, he said that the rule should not be expanded to other injuries.
“But I think the conversation should just honestly stop around injury replacements because if you stick me in an MRI scanner, I could get someone else in straightaway. If you stick anyone else with an MRI scanner, a bowler is going to show, ‘oh yeah, you’ve got a bit of inflammation around your knee; oh sweet, we can get another fresh bowler in’. I just think that conversation should be shut down and stopped,” the England captain said.