Kerala legend Jalaj Saxena was not amused by Gujarat using Hemang Patel as a concussion substitute in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy semi-final.
After bowling out Kerala for 457, Gujarat had finished day three at Ahmedabad on 222-1. It seemed likely that the semi-final would be decided on first-innings lead. However, Jalaj Saxena (4-137) struck twice, and Gujarat became 277-3.
Ravi Bishnoi, who had taken 1-74 in the first innings, had been suffering from concussion. As the third wicket fell, Gujarat sent Hemang, the concussion substitute.
1st Semi-Final, Gujarat vs Kerala
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While Bishnoi has played 42 T20Is (and an ODI), he averages only 11.50 across his 12 first-class innings and does not have a fifty in the format. Hemang, on the other hand, is a seam-bowling all-rounder who averages 19.83 from six innings (and more in the shorter formats). However, he was the most “like-for-like” option: the other reserves – Kshitij Patel, Umang Kumar, Het Patel – were even better batters than Hemang.
According to an Indian Express report, Saxena intervened at this point and had an argument with the on-field umpire. “Ravi Bishnoi is a bowler and he generally bats 9 or 10 for their side. And then as a concussion player, you are getting a player who bats really well and is promoted to bat number 5,” Saxena later recalled.
“I think that was unfair for us and that’s what I was telling the umpire. At least, if you have taken a batsman in place of him, make him play at number 11. He scored some crucial runs at that point and it was very visible that he wasn’t a bowler. He was a batsman who could bowl and not a like-for-like replacement for Bishnoi.”
Saxena took out Urvil Patel soon after Hemang arrived, but Hemang stayed put to make 27. From 357-7, Jaymeet Patel (74 not out) and Siddharth Desai (24 not out) took Gujarat to 429-7 by stumps as Saxena bowled 61 overs out of 154. They are still 29 away from that all-important first-innings lead.
