‘Should have avoided confrontation’: Sir Clive Lloyd gives his verdict on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s fight with Sri Lanka A players originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Sir Clive Lloyd says Sooryavanshi should have avoided the Dambulla on-field clash.
- India A and Sri Lanka A tied; hosts won thrilling Super Over.
- BCCI urges focus on cricket after Sooryavanshi saga.
Clive Lloyd weighs in on Sooryavanshi flashpoint against Sri Lanka A
Cricket great Sir Clive Lloyd has waded into the storm surrounding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, saying the young batter would have been better off staying out of the scuffle that broke out with Sri Lankan players at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
The drama began when fading daylight raised doubts among officials over whether a tie-breaker could even go ahead, after Sri Lanka A matched India A’s total of 265 with the very last ball of the innings.
India A skipper Tilak Varma wasted no time marching up to the umpires, engaging in a heated, gesture-filled exchange as he pushed hard for the Super Over to take place. Several of his teammates soon joined the huddle, as did members of the Indian support staff, before officials finally gave the tie-breaker the green light.
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Once Sri Lanka A had batted out their Super Over, Tilak found himself back in the thick of another dispute, this time over a no-ball call. Bowler Arshad Khan had sent down a waist-high full toss on the last delivery, which yielded no runs for the home side.
Players had already started leaving the field, with Sooryavanshi strapped in his pads ready to bat, when the umpires suddenly flagged it as a no-ball. Tilak returned to question the officials at length, stretching out an already strained situation even further.
Things escalated once the match wrapped up. Sooryavanshi, having managed just five runs off the two balls he got to face, looked clearly rattled as he walked past the celebrating Sri Lankan side. Camera footage seemed to catch him brushing against one of the home players before others stepped in to separate them.
The teenager, who is set to make his senior India debut on the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland, was also seen having words with Sri Lankan players as he headed off the ground.
Clive Lloyd’s take: Let the umpires handle it
When Lloyd was asked how a young player should respond when an opponent starts sledging and tempers flare physically, Lloyd pointed to the existing system of match officials, explaining that the umpire is meant to step in once such behaviour is spotted and hand out fines under the sport’s code of conduct.
“Well, that’s why we have referees. The referee should come and get involved,” he told Revsportz.
“And once he’s seen something like that, he will tell the umpires, referees and they should fine whoever is sledging people. So, I think the referee would be at fault given the rules that we have. We have a green book of rules where you’re not supposed to sledge people. So, this young man should have reported him. Instead of having a confrontation with the opposing player.”
On staying composed under pressure, Lloyd added that captains and team management exist precisely for moments like this, and it falls on them to step in before things boil over.
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BCCI tells players to stay focused
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has since sent a measured message to its young squad. Board secretary Devajit Saikia told TOI that the priority for these players, many of whom are pushing for senior team selection, should be their performance rather than side issues pulling focus away from 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,” Saikia told TOI.
“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. India’s performance and success in the tri-series remain our focus.”
Sri Lanka Cricket has reportedly handed out punishments to its own players over the altercation. Cricbuzz reported that match referee Pradeep Jeyapragash issued disciplinary measures following the heated scenes, with batter Vishen Halambage named among those who received sanctions.
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