Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s most revered cricketing icons, was not invited to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) to Australia’s victorious team after the five-Test series concluded at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on January 5. Instead, only Allan Border, the Australian legend after whom the trophy is co-named, was called up to do the honours.
CA snubs Gavaskar, apologises later
As Pat Cummins held the trophy aloft after Australia’s 3-1 series win, Gavaskar could only watch from the boundary line. It was a stark contrast to the presentation in Ahmedabad last year, where Gavaskar handed the trophy to Rohit Sharma after India’s win.
“I was not asked to make the presentation,” Gavaskar told Cricbuzz after the match. His absence from the stage was hard to ignore, especially given the significance of the trophy that bears his name. Cricket Australia (CA) later admitted it wasn’t the best look. “We acknowledge it would have been preferable if both AB (Allan Border) and Sunil had been asked to go on stage,” CA said in a statement. “The plan was that if India won Sunil would present and Allan Border would present to Australia,” a CA official said elaborating on the matter.
Gavaskar’s bond with Border
A few days earlier, Gavaskar spoke about his close relationship with Allan Border. “I am very fond of AB (Border),” he shared. Their friendship developed when they played together for the Rest of the World team against MCC during the MCC Bicentennial celebrations in 1987. Spending three weeks travelling and playing together allowed them to bond and learn about each other’s cultures and personalities. Gavaskar compared this bond to the connections formed through the IPL today, bringing players from different nations 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 concluded.
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