Mark Taylor says concussion rules will suffer the same fate as runner's rule if misused

Former Australia skipper Mark Taylor has warned against the abuse of concussion rules in cricket, saying that it can have the same fate as "runner's rule" if it is exploited going ahead. 

The southpaw had made this statement after India had roped in leggie Yuzvendra Chahal as a concussion substitute after all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was struck on the helmet by an awkward bouncer from Mitchell Starc in the final over of the first innings of the opening T20I at the Manuka Oval on Friday.

'If they are abused...': Mark Taylor

"The concussion rules are there to protect players. If they are abused there's a chance it will go like the runner's rule. The reason the runners were outlawed was because it started to be abused. It's up to the players to make sure they use the concussion sub fairly and responsibly. I'm not suggesting that didn't happen last night," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Taylor as saying.

"I've said for years I'd like to see players and coaches take more responsibility in running the game. The laws are there to protect them and make the game better for the player. Just make sure they're used correctly, that's all I would say," he added.

While the Australian limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch had no issues whatsoever with this move during the post-match presentation, the Australian head coach Justin Langer was not at all pleased with this decision and he was seen having a heated discussion with the match referee David Boon before the start of the Australian run chase. 

The concussion substitute rule

In July 2019, the International Cricket Council (ICC) agreed to allow the use of concussion replacements in all international cricket matches from 1 August 2019, with substitute having to be a "like-for-like replacement" and approved by the Match Referee.

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Why was the 'Runners Rule' outlawed in international cricket?

The 'Runners Rule' was outlawed in international cricket by the governing body i.e. the International Cricket Council (ICC) back in October 2011 as the use of runners for injured batsmen had been debated after some had called for runners while suffering from cramp.

READ: Mohammad Kaif Says Ravindra Jadeja Will Be 'missed Dearly' By India In Last Two T20Is