Former Australian cricket captain Allan Border presents the Border Gavaskar Trophy to Australia’s captain Pat Cummins, left, at the conclusion of the fifth cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia. (AP)
Michael Clarke on Wednesday criticized Cricket Australia and said that Sunil Gavaskar should have been there to present the trophy of the Border Gavaskar Test series to the winners alongside Allan Border.
“I just think Cricket Australia missed a trick. Now I know a lot of people don’t know that it was planned before the series started, that if India were to win, Sunil Gavaskar would present the trophy. If Australia were to win, Alan Border would present the trophy. So it wasn’t a surprise to those two guys. But to me, it just doesn’t make sense. Like, they’re both there. No matter who won, in my opinion, they both should have walked out, they both should have been on stage, they both should have presented the trophy,” Clarke said on ESPN Australia.
“I think we’re very lucky to have both Allan Border and Sunny Gavaskar in the country, commentating at the right time. You don’t get that very often. Both legends of the game that the trophy is named are still around and are in the country at the same time. So I just think we missed a trick there. I think it sounds to me that, you know, it obviously offended Sunny as well, and I can understand why. I think they both should have been on that stage presenting that trophy no matter who won,” the former Australia skipper added.
“Cricket Australia missed a trick.”
“It offended Sunny… & I can understand why.”@MClarke23 & @AaronFinch5 feel it was disrespectful to not include Sunny Gavaskar for the trophy presentation.#AroundTheWicket @ESPNAusNZ @ESPNcricinfohttps://t.co/jr1BJeNnPV pic.twitter.com/ZAW4zal861
— Neroli Meadows (@Neroli_Meadows) January 8, 2025
Last week, Gavaskar had to stand at the edge of the boundary rope and clap when Border handed the Border-Gavaskar trophy to Pat Cummins. The plan by Cricket Australia was that Allan Border would present the trophy if Australia won and Sunil Gavaskar would if India retained it.
“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.”
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