Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has defended the BCCI over limited television coverage of the Vijay Hazare Trophy while raising concerns about the widening quality gap in Indian domestic cricket, following a dramatic opening day that saw both record-breaking performances and one-sided contests.

The tournament began on Wednesday with star power as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to domestic cricket after years away, but fans were frustrated when several marquee fixtures went unbroadcast. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin acknowledged the disappointment while explaining the logistical constraints. "Fans are asking what the hell? Only Elon Musk can telecast these matches on X," he said. "Everyone wants to follow Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, no doubt."

Rohit smashed 155 off 94 balls for Mumbai against Sikkim, while Kohli scored 131 off 101 for Delhi against Andhra Pradesh. However, Ashwin explained that broadcasting decisions are made well in advance. "When the international calendar is given, the domestic calendar is given at the same time. Once it is given, the BCCI and broadcasters decide which stadiums are easy to cover from and which matches can be televised in advance," he said. "The conversation was Rohit and Virat will play, but when? Making that last-minute switch is difficult."

Quality Gap Raises Questions

Beyond broadcast concerns, Ashwin highlighted a more troubling issue after Bihar posted a world-record 574/6 against Arunachal Pradesh in the Plate Group. Teen sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi blasted 190 off 84 balls, while captain Sakibul Gani struck the fastest List A century by an Indian in just 32 balls, finishing with 128 not out. Arunachal Pradesh were bowled out for 177, losing by 397 runs.

While praising the individual performances, Ashwin questioned the competitive value of such mismatches. "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," he said. "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?"

The opening day also saw Ishan Kishan smash a 33-ball century for Jharkhand, marking three of the four fastest List A centuries by Indians in a single day. Ashwin praised Kishan's comeback journey, noting he "has not waited, saying his time will come, he has put in that effort."