The IPL 2025 has one high-scoring contest. Several teams like SunRisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings , Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans have breached the 230-run mark in this edition and its not even a fortnight into the IPL 2025. While batters often tend to have a bigger say in the T20 format, the lop-sided nature of the contest is often too stark. Chennai Super Kings bowler Ravichandran Ashwin feels the lop-sided nature makes itself very apparent in the award ceremonies too in the IPL.
"In the IPL presentation show, there are at least 10 awards that they give out to people. In fact 50 per cent of both teams receives some sort of award. But if someone bowls well, delivers a good over, they don't even get a single award,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel
"You have the super striker, super fours, super sixes, it's all there. Super ball isn't there. One time there was a fastest ball award. That ball might have been hit for a six but the person will still get the award.”
He also quipped: "Itna door nahin hai ki bowler ball leke bhaag jayega ground se bahar (It's not so far that the bowler will run away from the ground with the ball.) Agar mein ball nahin daalunga toh aap maaroge kaise? (If I don't deliver the ball then how will you hit it?)"
Technically Ashwin is a spinner, but here he bowled a straight one onto the stump and clean bowled many !! pic.twitter.com/JQHMtV55V2
— Yo Yo Funny Singh (@moronhumor) March 27, 2025
Recently, Ashwin spoke in favour of Punjab Kings bowler Vyshak Vijaykumar. The bowler came in as impact sub and bowled three crucial overs under pressure to check Gujarat Titans' run-flow against Punjab Kings in a high-scoring . He was brought into the attack in the 15th over when GT was on 169/2 chasing a 244-run target. In his first over, Vijaykumar gave five runs. In his second over too, he gave away only five runs. That meant GT could reach 187/2 in 17 overs. Vijaykumar's third over went for 18 runs. GT then needed 27 off six balls, and failed. However, Shreyas Iyer was named 'Player of the Match' for coring 97*.
"Shreyas Iyer's performance was really important. One man was serving water to every player on the ground and was sitting in the dugout wearing a bib. The game was in the balance, maybe Gujarat were slightly ahead. Sherfane Rutherford and Jos Buttler were batting quite well. They called Vijaykumar Vyshak out of nowhere in the 14th over and told him to bring us back in the game. PBKS were out of the game. He bowled exceedingly well in the 17th and 19th over. Of course, he didn't get a wicket, but what brilliant death bowling," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
"What planning, Crystal clear thinking, great execution. He nailed the wides, yorkers, yes there a couple of full tosses. I have said 'don't be afraid of bowling full tosses' and nowadays the ball comes of beautifully off the pitch that batters get startled by full tosses. For me, Vyshak was the MVP. Vijaykumar Vyshak should have been the Player of the Match for this game."
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