Sunil Gavaskar shocked at being ignored from presentation of trophy named after him: 'Just because I am an Indian...'

Cricket Australia's decision on Sunday during the presentation ceremony for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground shocked India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar. The former India captain was left standing alone at the edge of the boundary rope as Australia legend Allan Border handed the trophy to the victorious Australian team. Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar(Getty)

Australia completed a come-from-behind victory on Sunday to seal their qualification for the World Test Championship final. After losing the series opener in Perth in November, Australia bounced back with a win in Adelaide, before the match in Brisbane was washed out due to rain. The Pat Cummins-led side, however, won in Melbourne and Sydney to script a 3-1 series win as Australia reclaimed the trophy after 10 years.

Cricket Australia's plan in Sydney was that if Australia won, the trophy would be presented by Border, and had India pulled off a miracle to draw the series, Gavaskar would hand the trophy to stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah. But it seemed Gavaskar was unaware of the decision as he was left shocked at being snubbed for the presentation ceremony of the trophy named after him.

“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 by Code Sports. “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 did not present the trophy). I would have been happy to present the trophy with my good friend Allan Border.”

Both India and Australia have been competing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 1996-1997 and the rivalry has grown to become one of the biggest in Test cricket.

The five-match series Australia won drew record crowds at multiple venues and broke an 87-year-old attendance record at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last week.

Australia win by 6 wickets at SCG

Australia folded India in just 45 minutes on Day 3 in Sydney as the tourists added just 16 runs to their overnight total to set a target of 162 runs. The magnificent Scott Boland (6/45) and the ever-reliable Pat Cummins (3/44) rattled the Indian tail for just 157 in 39.5 overs.

Despite the absence of Bumrah, who did not take the field on Sunday owing to a back spasms, there was a glimmer of hope in the Indian camp after Prasidh Krishna snared three quick wickets in the morning session. However, Usman Khawaja (41), Travis Head (34 not out) and debutant Beau Webster (39 not out) completed the formalities, putting an end to India's misery with a six-wicket win.

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