Vaibhav Sooryavanshi row: Sri Lanka sanctions players, BCCI issues warning

Sri Lanka Cricket penalises players involved in Dambulla altercation; BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia urges India A youngsters to avoid distractions and concentrate on the tri-series

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) imposed sanctions on players involved in the on-field altercation that marred the India A-Sri Lanka A tri-series match in Dambulla on Monday, even as BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia urged India's young cricketers to remain focused on their game and not be distracted by off-field issues.

 

According to a report by Cricbuzz, match referee Pradeep Jeyapragash has acted against players involved in the disciplinary breaches during the ill-tempered contest. Sri Lanka A batter Vishen Halambage is understood to be among the principal recipients of the punishment.

 

The report added that Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella was also sanctioned, although the action against him was believed to be linked to a separate offence and not directly related to the confrontation involving Halambage and India's teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

 

 

It remains unclear whether any sanctions have been imposed on Sooryavanshi, who was involved in a heated exchange with Halambage after the conclusion of the match, which Sri Lanka A won in fading light. The report said no formal hearing was conducted and that the sanctions were based on reports submitted by the on-field umpires.

 

The incident has attracted attention in both countries, with many in Sri Lanka expressing disappointment that such an altercation occurred during a bilateral cricket contest on Sri Lankan soil. The sanctions were reportedly imposed by SLC, with the International Cricket Council not involved in the disciplinary process.

 

BCCI asks players to avoid distractions

 

Responding to the controversy, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said India's young players should keep their attention firmly on cricket as they compete in the tri-series.

 

"India A are playing a major tournament and all these youngsters are staking a claim for the senior team. They should concentrate on their game rather than getting distracted by collateral issues," a Times of India report quoted Saikia as saying.

 

He said the board's priority was India's performance in the tournament and helping the players develop in a competitive environment.

 

"Our only concern is that they give their best and help India win the tri-series. At this stage, the players should focus solely on their cricket," Saikia said.

 

Asked whether he had spoken to Sooryavanshi following the incident, the BCCI secretary said the board does not interfere with team preparations during an ongoing competition.

 

"It is not our duty to speak to players on such matters. The players, support staff and coaches are focused on the series. We don't want them distracted by issues that are not of paramount importance," he said.

 

Bahutule backs young batter Sooryavanshi

 

India spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule described the incident as unfortunate but said he found it difficult to understand what might have provoked Sooryavanshi.

 

"I know him and Vaibhav is a very composed kid. I'm sure there are experienced coaches there who will handle him," Bahutule said on the eve of India vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI in Lucknow.

 

The former Rajasthan Royals spin-bowling coach, who has closely followed Sooryavanshi's development, said young players should learn from such experiences and avoid similar situations in future.

 

India A face Afghanistan A on Wednesday in a must-win encounter as they look to stay alive in the tri-series.