Sunil Gavaskar has expressed confusion over his apparent snubbing during the presentation of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Sunday (January 5).
On day three of the fifth Test in Sydney, India resumed on 141-6 in their third innings, leading by 145 runs. They could only add another 16, though, collapsing to 157 all out and setting the hosts 162 to win.
India's Jasprit Bumrah-less bowling attack briefly made things interesting when they managed to reduce Australia to 58-3, but a 46-run stand between Travis Head and Usman Khawaja saw them out of danger before Head took them home in the company of debutant Beau Webster who hit the winning runs to round off a stellar first cap.
The 3-1 series victory also marked the first time in five attempts that Australia had managed to beat India in a Test series, the last occasion being 10 years ago. But after the trophy was presented to winning captain Pat Cummins by Allan Border, one of the greats for whom the trophy has been named, Sunil Gavaskar expressed his astonishment at not being called up alongside him.
Gavaskar: I'm just feeling a little perplexed
Gavaskar said to ABC Sport, "I was told just before the Test started that was going to be the situation [that I would not present the trophy]. If India didn't win or draw the series I wouldn't be required...I'm not feeling sad, but I'm feeling a little perplexed. It's the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, both of us should have been there."
Gavaskar's comments suggest that he would only have been called upon to present the trophy had India won or drawn the series.
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There is no official protocol on who is required to present the trophy, but Border and Gavaskar did it together when India won the series at home in 2008. In 2010 in India, it was presented to India by Gavaskar alone and in 2019 in Australia, it was presented to India by Border alone.
The pair brought the trophy out together, to a podium on the outfield ahead of the start of the series in Perth. It was also briefly put on display in similar fashion before each match, and each time was brought out by a former Indian and Australian cricketer.
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