Liton Das, Nayeem Hasan replaced over concussion fears

Bangladesh's batsman Liton Das is attended by a physio. Pic/AFP

Kolkata: The concussion substitute rule came into effect just before the Ashes this year, its wisdom immediately apparent when Steven Smith was replaced by Marnus Labuschagne in the second innings of the Lord's Test in August after being struck on the helmet by Jofra Archer.

India have been involved in all four subsequent instances that have necessitated a concussion sub. On a dramatic, action-soaked opening day of the first pink-ball Test in India, Bangladesh were forced to dug deep into their threadbare resources after first Liton Das, and then Nayeem Hasan, had to retire hurt after being pinged on the helmet by Mohammed Shami.

Axed players come in

Ironically, the two men who were replaced them - Mehidy Hasan for Liton and Taijul Islam for Nayeem - had been dropped from the XI that lost the Indore Test last week.

Mehidy, essentially an off-spinner who is a handy bat, can't bowl in the game because of the like-for-like
rule in such instances. Taijul can, and did, his left-arm off-spin considered not too dissimilar to Nayeem's right-arm expertise of the same variety.

Encouraging indications from the Bangladesh camp suggest that Liton and Nayeem, who were both rushed to hospital for scans in keeping with the concussion protocols, are recovering well even though they can take no further part in this match. The duo returned to the Eden Gardens after undergoing tests to watch their teammates again being put through the wringer by the formidable hosts.

Badly timed

Liton's injury was especially inopportune - not that any injury isn't - given that the feisty No. 7 wicketkeeper-batsman was just beginning to hit his stride. Liton strode out at 38 for five in the 15th over, the cream lopped off by an inspired Umesh Yadav, and immediately caught the eye with a series of pleasing strokes.

The ball after he was struck on the crown trying to pull Shami, he showed no signs of nerves or discomfort as he pulled another short offering confidently behind square for four. He then caressed Ishant for another four before immediately gesturing to Joel Wilson that he felt dizzy, necessitating umpires Wilson and Marais Erasmus to call lunch a few deliveries earlier than scheduled.

"It was unfortunate, Liton was just looking pretty good out there until then," Russell Domingo, Bangladesh's South Africa-born coach, said.

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