Legendary Sunil Gavaskar is unhappy after being snubbed from presenting the trophy after Australia defeated India by 6-wickets in the fifth and final Test in Sydney to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Sunday (January 5).

BGT is a trophy named after the legend himself and Australia great Allan Border, but the organizers picked only the latter to hand over the trophy to Pat Cummins during the presentation ceremony at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Cricket Australia had reportedly planned for Border to give the trophy if Australia had won, and for Gavaskar to hand over the trophy had India retained the trophy. However, the Indian legend said he would have loved to do the honours with Border as he was at the ground.

"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. I mean, I am here on the ground," Gavaskar was quoted by Code Sports.

"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."

Gavaskar, who was doing commentary duties for multiple platforms in Australia, was at the venue and left only after the presentation and post-match analysis was finished in Sydney. The former Indian cricket even stood meters away from where Border was handing over trophy to Cummins.

CA Admit Blunder

Cricket Australia (CA) later issued a statement acknowledging that Indian legend Gavaskar should have been invited to join former opponent Border on stage to present the trophy named in their honour at the SCG

"We acknowledge it would have been preferable if both Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar had been asked to go on stage," a CA spokesperson said in a statement.

In 2023 when the series was played in India, Gavaskar alone presented Rohit Sharma the trophy as Border was not available. In 2021, Border did the honours when India won their second successive series Down Under.