Sooryavanshi shoving incident: BCCI's Devajit Saikia asks players to...

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi-Halambage shoving incident

MUMBAI: In the wake of 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi being involved in a heated exchange with Vishen Halambage, that led to physical contact on the field after Sri Lanka A beat India A in a Super Over finish in the one-day tri-series in Dambulla on Monday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has advised India A's players to "concentrate on their game rather than getting distracted from any collateral issues." "India A is playing a major tournament, all the upcoming players who can stake their claim for the Indian senior team, they are in the midst of a very big tournament, a tri-nation series, so they should concentrate on their game rather than getting distracted from any collateral issues," Saikia told TOI on Tuesday.

"They should not focus on that, they should concentrate on their game and they should give their best performance so that India can come out with a victory in the tri-nation series.

That is our only concern now." Asked if he had spoken to Sooryavanshi about this incident, Saikia replied, "It is not our duty to speak to the players for any reason. The players are only concentrated with their games and the support staff and the coaches who are present with them, nothing else. So, nobody interferes in their game and their strategy and their preparation for that big series, which is presently going on.

We will follow this policy that during a major tournament when they are playing for the country, they should not get distracted by any other secondary issues, which are not of paramount importance. The important thing is India's winning and performing well in the tri-series. So, that is our focus and other than that, we are not doing anything at this stage." He reiterated: "At this stage, we are concentrating and we are allowing our players to focus on their game, not to focus on any other side issues.

They should focus on their games and the BCCI is with the team and their game, nothing else." After the match was tied at the end of 50 overs, a Super Over was played in fading light. The light kept getting worse as India A captain Tilak Varma was involved in an argument with the umpires. Sri Lanka A scored 16 in the Super Over. In response, India A could manage only nine as rookie Kugathas Mathulan, a slinger in the mould of Matheesha Pathirana, denied Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge.

Heated exchange between Sooryavanshi and Halambage after match

Post the match, Halambage and Wanuja Sahan were seen having words with the departing India batters, which seemed to have triggered the confrontation. Visuals showed Shedge pointing his bat towards Halambage before Sooryavanshi turned back to get into an exchange with the Sri Lankan player. Sooryavanshi and Halambage were then seen shoving each other, with Dickwella separating the two. Sooryavanshi was also seen gesticulating as he walked off the field. "A Sri Lankan player had abused Vaibhav as he was walking off the field, but the batter is better advised to avoid being distracted by sledging," a source tracking developments told this paper.

India A camp unhappy with umpiring decisions

Another source informed that the India A camp was upset with what it alleged was some "highly biased umpiring" by Sri Lankan umpires Rageeth Rambukwella and Shantha Fonseka. "It was like the team was playing against 13 players. Some of the on-field decisions of the match officials were highly questionable. Shedge (72 off 66 balls) was wrongly adjudged caught on the long-on boundary, as the fielder's boot had stamped the rope. The no-ball and wide decisions in the final over were doubtful. The umpires decided to play the Super Over only when Sri Lanka A agreed to it," the source said.