Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Shines In Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ashwin Asks The Big Questions

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has said that there is a huge divide among certain domestic teams in the country and making them play against each other ensures that the chance of a proper contest is entirely cut off from the scenario.

Ashwin’s remarks followed Bihar’s mammoth 574-run effort in 50 overs against Arunachal Pradesh.

Ashwin said that while piling up a huge total is brilliant, such games do not provide meaningful competition.

“Huge applause for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. 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 competition,” Ashwin said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

“It is not an ideal contest.

Credit to Vaibhav for his performance. He is doing what he has to do. But if we are serious about teams like Arunachal Pradesh becoming good sides, what will this do to their confidence?” Ashwin questioned.

Arunachal Pradesh bore the brunt of a relentless onslaught in the Plate Group clash as Bihar captain Sakibul Gani blazed his way to a 32-ball hundred, the fastest by an Indian in List A cricket, finishing with a brilliant 128 off just 40 deliveries.

This was after Vaibhav went berserk en route to a blistering 84-ball 190, including smacking 15 sixes, while reaching the three-figure mark in just 36 deliveries.

Wicketkeeper Ayush Loharuka also joined the run-fest with a rapid 116 off 56 deliveries, but at a venue that saw 49 boundaries and 38 sixes, his whirlwind innings was eclipsed by the extraordinary batting of Vaibhav and Gani.

With a ruthless assault on a modest-quality bowling attack, Vaibhav set the tone early in the 50-over domestic tournament, before his senior teammates carried the momentum forward to propel the team to a world-record total in the format.