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Pat Cummins-led Australian cricket team finally ended their 10-year Border-Gavaskar Trophy drought on Sunday, January 5, as they convincingly won the fifth Test and reclaimed the title. After being put to chase 162-run target in Sydney on Day 3 of the fifth Test, important contributions from Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Beau Webster helped Australia finish on the other side with a six-wicket win and reclaim the title by 3-1 margin.
Soon after their win, Cricket Australia called in former cricketer Allan Border to present the trophy to the winning team, despite the trophy also being named after legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. The former Indian cricketer was left visibly upset as well as shocked by Cricket Australia’s decision as he stood alone at the edge of the boundary rope while Allan Border presented the trophy to Pat Cummins.
I certainly would have loved to have been there: Sunil Gavaskar
Speaking after India’s defeat in BGT 2024-25, Sunil Gavaskar opened up on being snubbed to present the trophy to the winners, the Australian cricket team. “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 said, as 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,” he added.
It is to be noted that Cricket Australia had planned that if Australia won, the trophy would be presented by Allan Border, and if India had pulled off a win in Sydney, Gavaskar would have handed the trophy to stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah. But, the Indian legend was unaware of it entirely and was shocked by the decision. "I was told just before the Test started that was going to be the situation. If India didn't win or draw the series I wouldn't be required...I'm not feeling sad, but I'm just feeling a little perplexed. It's the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, both of us should have been there," Gavaskar concluded.
Notably, both India and Australia have been competing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 1996-1997. While India won the series in consecutive occasions, but Australia finally ended their decade long wait and reclaimed the title for the first time since 2014-15.
