Cricket Australia has responded to Sunil Gavaskar's unhappiness about not being invited for the Border-Gavaskar trophy presentation after Australia defeated India in Sydney to win the series 3-1.
Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar was left upset after not being invited for the trophy presentation at the Sydney Cricket Ground despite being present at the venue.
The Border-Gavaskar trophy is named after legendary former cricketers Gavaskar and Allan Border, the latter of whom presented the prestigious trophy to the host side.
"I certainly would have loved to have been there for the presentation. After all, it is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and it is about Australia and India," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by Code Sports.
Gavaskar highlighted that he was at the stadium and just because he is an Indian, he was not called for the presentation as the Indian team had not won the Test.
"I mean, I am here on the ground. To me, it should not matter that Australia won when it comes to the presentation. They played better cricket so they won. That's fine. Just because I am an Indian. I would have been happy to present the trophy with my good friend Allan Border," he added.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has responded to the row, stating that it would have been ideal had both the legends been on the stage for the presentation. "We acknowledge it would have been preferable if both AB and Sunil had been asked to go on stage," CA said as quoted by Cricbuzz.
A CA official admitted that its plan was to invite only one of Gavaskar and Border at the time of the ceremony and the former would have been the trophy presenter had India won the SCG Test and levelled the series as they were the previous holders of it.
"The plan was that if India won Sunil would present and Allan Border would present to Australia," a CA official said.
Australia won the Border-Gavaskar series for the first time since 2015, with India winning the trophy the previous four times by identical margins of 2-1. This time, the Aussies won the trophy with a 3-1 win.
