Australian cricket journalist Peter Lalor was stringent in his criticism of the ICC regulation which allowed Rishabh Pant to smash 97 with the bat, even though he hadn’t been fit enough to keep wicket in Australia’s second innings in the SCG Test.

Pant was struck on the elbow while batting in India’s first innings, and though he was able to carry on with his knock, he was clearly in pain until his dismissal.

Wriddhiman Saha, who played the first Test of the series and is rated as a better gloveman than Pant, was allowed to keep in Australia’s second innings, and claimed four catches, including an excellent grab down the leg-side.

Pant, while he is still an injury doubt for the fourth Test, had recovered sufficiently to bat with his customary fluency in the chase, smashing 97 to give India hopes of a miracle comeback win.

Lalor, cricket writer at The Australian, made no effort to hide his displeasure while commentating on SEN Radio.

“Everyone’s getting a bit anxious and I’m annoyed,” he said. “This Rishabh Pant thing, this is just rubbish. You can sort of motor along with your eyes closed in cricket a little bit and be unaware of regulations and rules and things.

“How on earth can a bloke be not fit to wicket keep and you just happen to have an even better wicketkeeper waiting in the cupboard? So the better wicketkeeper goes out there, does the job, pulls off a catch that I reckon nine times out of 10 Rishabh Pant would have dropped, and then suddenly Rishabh Pant is fit enough to bat. They’re basically playing with 12 players. Rubbish.”

Wicketkeeping subs have been permitted in cricket since a law change from the MCC in 2017, with their use largely passing without controversy. During the English Test summer, Joshua da Silva was employed as a stand-in gloveman after Shane Dowrich copped a blow to the cheek behind the stumps.

Lalor, however, felt that since Pant was able to bat, he should have been considered fit enough to keep too.

“If he’s in pain, boo bloody hoo,” Lalor continued. “If he’s in pain he can wicket keep in pain. I’m sorry, it’s not good enough. If you can hold a bat, you can wear a pair of gloves and fumble a few balls like he does on occasion. That’s my point, I find this real ridiculous.”

This isn’t the first time on this tour that India’s use of cricket’s substitution rules has sparked outrage among Australians. During the T20I series, Australia head coach Justin Langer was involved in a heated discussion with ICC match referee and former teammate David Boon after India were permitted to sub out Ravindra Jadeja, who sustained a concussion and a hamstring injury in quick succession.

In that instance, India were again able to call upon a specialist in favour of an all-rounder, with leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal earning the Player of the Match award for his match-winning spell, despite not having been included in the playing XI originally.