Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has given his candid assessment after Bihar scripted history by registering a record-breaking total against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. While Ashwin applauded the batting brilliance on display, he also pointed out a stark imbalance in quality between the two sides, calling the contest far from ideal.
Bihar Create List A History With 574/6
Bihar produced a historic performance by piling up a mammoth 574 for 6, the highest total ever recorded in List A cricket. The innings was led by Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who once again emerged as the standout performer for his team. The young batter smashed a sensational 190 runs off just 84 balls, showcasing his explosive form. He was well supported by Ayush Loharuka, who struck a fine 116, and Sakibul Gani, who remained unbeaten on 128. Gani reached his century in just 32 deliveries, making him the fastest Indian to score a List A hundred.
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Ashwin Points to Quality Gap Between Plate Teams
Although impressed by the batting effort, Ashwin stressed that such lopsided encounters highlight a deeper issue within domestic cricket, particularly among Plate group teams. He noted that the vast difference in quality results in one-sided matches and questioned whether such games help weaker teams improve.
“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 on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin further acknowledged the individual achievement while raising concerns about the long-term impact on developing sides.
“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. If we are serious about teams like Arunachal Pradesh becoming good sides, what will this do to their confidence?” he added.
Arunachal Suffer Heavy Defeat
Chasing an impossible target, Arunachal Pradesh struggled under pressure and were bowled out for just 177. Bihar sealed a commanding 397-run victory to kick off their Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign in emphatic fashion. Bihar will look to carry forward their dominant form when they take on Manipur on December 26. Arunachal Pradesh, meanwhile, will aim to regroup and bounce back when they face Mizoram in their next fixture.
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