Ravichandran Ashwin, the Chennai Super Kings bowler, has voiced his concerns regarding the imbalanced nature of award distributions during IPL ceremonies. As the IPL 2025 unfolds, several teams, have already surpassed the 230-run mark in their matches.
They included SunRisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and Gujarat Titans, showcasing a trend of high-scoring games. While the T20 format typically favors batters, Ashwin believes that the skewed recognition in award ceremonies highlights the issue even further.
The Imbalance in Recognition
In a recent discussion on his YouTube channel, Ashwin pointed out that the IPL presentation ceremonies tend to favor batting performances over bowling achievements. He noted that out of the numerous awards given, a significant portion goes to players from both teams, while bowlers who perform well often go unrecognized.
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
“In the IPL presentation show, there are at least 10 awards that they give out to people. In fact, 50 percent of both teams receive some sort of award. But if someone bowls well, delivers a good over, they don’t even get a single award,” he remarked.
Ashwin humorously highlighted the absence of awards for bowlers, stating, “You have the super striker, super fours, super sixes, but no super ball.”
He emphasized that even when bowlers deliver impressive performances, they often remain overlooked in favor of batting accolades.
A Case for Vyshak Vijaykumar
Ashwin also took the opportunity to commend Punjab Kings bowler Vyshak Vijaykumar for his impactful performance in a recent match against Gujarat Titans. Coming in as an impact substitute, Vijaykumar bowled three crucial overs under pressure, helping to control the run flow when Gujarat was chasing a hefty target of 244 runs.
Despite his efforts, which included conceding only five runs in his first two overs, Vijaykumar did not receive the recognition he deserved, as Shreyas Iyer was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his 97 runs. Ashwin argued that Vijaykumar’s strategic bowling was pivotal in the match, stating, “For me, Vyshak was the MVP.”
He continued, “He should have been the Player of the Match for this game.” He praised Vijaykumar’s execution of yorkers and his ability to maintain composure under pressure, reinforcing the need for a more balanced recognition system in the IPL that honors both batting and bowling contributions equally.
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