The push for concussion substitutes in first-class cricket continues to gather momentum, with Australia's wicketkeeper Matthew Wade saying the issue "needs to be looked at".
Victoria's Sam Harper, keeping in the absence of Test squad members Wade and Peter Handscomb, was struck on the helmet by a bat during a recent Sheffield Shield game.
![Playing it straight: Matthew Wade.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170527224431im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/e/z/z/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gueztm.png/1487324216737.jpg)
The incident, which resulted in Harper being rushed to hospital, has reignited debate about whether teams should be allowed to sub in a player after a head knock.
Cricket Australia introduced a concussion substitute law for domestic one-day and Twenty20 cricket this summer, but the International Cricket Council blocked attempts to roll it out at first-class level.
CA officials continue to lobby the ICC, while its players are becoming increasingly vocal about the topic. Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith both gave the new law their tick of approval earlier this summer.
"The players are starting to come around I suppose more and more with this issue, that we've got to look after the players," Wade said in Mumbai.
"You don't want people to be playing with 10 men because someone got hit with a cricket bat. So it's something that needs to be looked at, for sure.
"I can't speak for all the players, but it's something I'm sure the ACA will sit down and speak to the players about. It's something we've definitely got to look at."
Aaron Finch spoke passionately about the need for a substitute earlier this week.
Finch took the gloves for Victoria following Harper's hit, having also filled in for Peter Nevill during the Big Bash League. Nevill was struck on the head twice during the BBL season.
Justin Langer is one of few notable figures to offer a contrary opinion about the issue. Langer, who is currently serving as coach of the national Twenty20 side, told AAP last year the rule would work provided "people respect what it is".
"The problem is when people start looking for loopholes. Then it's no good, it wrecks it for everybody," Langer said.
"We don't have runners any more but if people had maintained the integrity of that then we'd still have runners.
"Maybe we've got to have a look at the whole concept of substituting a player through injury but to just do it for concussion - it's such a grey area.
"We've got to be consistent and with concussion I don't know how we can be consistent."
AAPÂ
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