Published: Dec 25, 2025, 04:40 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 25, 2025, 04:40 PM (IST)
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has raised concerns over the competitiveness and quality gap in India’s domestic cricket structure. While praising teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi for his remarkable performances, Ashwin questioned whether one-sided contests could harm the confidence of weaker 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. 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 said on his YouTube channel.
His comments followed Bihar’s record-shattering 574 in 50 overs against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Wednesday — the highest score ever recorded in men’s List A cricket. Suryavanshi, Ayush Loharuka and captain Sakibul Gani all struck centuries as Bihar broke the long-standing world record for the biggest total in men’s one-day cricket.
Ashwin also highlighted Ishan Kishan’s resurgence, praising the keeper-batter for fighting through setbacks and earning his place back at the top level. Kishan’s consistency in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy — where he scored 517 runs in 10 innings and led Jharkhand to the title — paved the way for his national comeback. He was also rewarded with selection as India’s second wicketkeeper for the 2026 T20 World Cup squad.
“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 made a double hundred in one-day but never made a comeback. He scored a hundred in the IPL but then did not have a great IPL. 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. He has not waited saying his time will come, he has put in that effort,†he said.
Kishan’s domestic dominance this season has been impossible to ignore. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he smashed a 33-ball hundred from the middle order, proving that his form, timing and effort are finally aligning.
