Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his anger at not being part of the post-match trophy presentation after the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which originated in the 1996-97 India-Australia Test series, is named after Indian and Australian icons Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border respectively.
Cricket Australia (CA) apparently planned the presentation in such a way that Gavaskar they would hand over the trophy to the Indian captain if they retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy and Border would do the same if Australia won.
So the Indian legend stood on the boundary rope and watched as Border handed over the trophy to the Australian skipper Pat Cummins after the hosts won the Sydney Test to claim the five-match series 3-1.
Speaking about the same after the launch, Gavaskar conveyed to Code Sports [via Indian Express]:
“I’d certainly like to be there for the presentation. After all, it’s the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and it’s about Australia and India. I mean, I’m here on the field. It shouldn’t matter to me that Australia won when it comes to the presentation. They played are the better cricketers so they won.Just because I’m an Indian (I didn’t present the trophy with my good friend Allan Border).
India have been the holders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the last four editions. However, Australia finally got their hands on the coveted trophy for the first time since 2014-15.
“I love AB a lot” – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar recently expressed his fondness for Allan Border and said their relationship took off during the 1987 MCC bicentennial celebrations.
The duo scored more than 10,000 runs each in Test cricket, combining for an incredible 61 centuries as they dominated the 1970s and 1980s with their willow.
“I really like AB (Granica). The relationship really blossomed when we both played for the Rest of the World team against MCC during the MCC Bicentenary celebrations in 1987. We spent three weeks together, traveled together and played a few matches Against County before the MCC game We really bonded, got to know each other, the culture, the man,” Gavaskar said [via Indian Express].
“A bit like what the IPL is doing these days, bringing people from different countries together. I feel honoured, privileged and blessed that the series between India and Australia is named after us. Such an iconic series – it’s a blessing,” he added.
Coming to the recently completed 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar TrophyIndia won the first Test in Perth before Australia bounced back to win three of the next four meetings.
Edited by Samya Majumdar
