Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his mixed reaction to Bihar’s record-breaking List-A total against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He also praised the outstanding performances, but questioned the competitive value of such a one-sided match.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin praised young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi but he also highlighted the difference in quality between some Plate Group teams. “Huge applause for Vaibhav Suryavanshi. But I again want to ask a question. There is a huge divide, chalk and cheese, in terms of quality with some teams. It becomes very lop-sided with some teams and there is no contest at all. It is not an ideal contest,” Ashwin said.
Bihar scripted history by scoring 574 runs for six wickets, which is the highest total ever in List-A cricket. The 14-year-old, smashed 190 runs off just 84 balls, reaching his century in only 36 balls and hammered 16 boundaries and 15 maximums. Arunachal Pradesh struggled throughout the match and were bowled out for 177, losing the match by 397 runs.
Ashwin said that big innings should still be respected, regardless of their opposition. “Credit to Vaibhav, if you get a big score in your neighbourhood, it is still a big score. A double hundred is a double hundred, anywhere,” Ashwin said. At the same time, he raised a concern about development, asking, “If we are serious about teams like Arunachal Pradesh becoming good sides, what will this do to their confidence?”
Ashwin also praised wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan for his stellar 125 runs, saying, “Everyone goes through good and bad times but Ishan Kishan had a challenging time. He came and then was out from the team, he took a break…He played well in the SMAT and in the run of events got into the T20 World Cup squad. Now he is batting in the middle-order slot in the VHT and scored a 33-ball hundred. It shows what confidence and form can do to a person when time aligns.”
Also Read: Vaibhav Suryavanshi scripts history with record-breaking 190 against Arunachal Pradesh
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