Ravichandran Ashwin called Bihar’s world-record List A total against Arunachal Pradesh “not an ideal contest” but praised the hitters for their stellar performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Plate Group match.

Bihar scripted history in the 2025–26 Vijay Hazare Trophy by amassing a record-breaking 574 for 6 against Arunachal Pradesh, setting a new benchmark for the highest List A team total. Teen prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi stole the show with a whirlwind 190 off 84 balls, while captain Sakibul Gani powered through with 128 off 40 balls, registering the fastest hundred by an Indian in List A cricket in just 32 deliveries.

While applauding the exceptional performances, Ashwin expressed concern over the lack of balance in some matches, pointing out the differences in quality between Plate Group sides.

“Big applause for Vaibhav Suryavanshi. But I have to point out that there is a massive gap in quality between some teams. Matches can become very one-sided, with little competition, which makes it far from an ideal contest,” Ashwin said.

Ashwin was quick to clarify that a monumental innings shouldn’t be undervalued because of the opposition. “Credit to Vaibhav, a big score is a big score no matter where you make it. A double hundred is a double hundred, anywhere,” he said.

However, he also voiced concerns about the effect on emerging teams. “If we truly want teams like Arunachal Pradesh to improve, how will such defeats affect their confidence?”

His comments have fueled fresh debate on the domestic setup, with doubts over whether extreme imbalances help Plate Group teams develop into Elite contenders.