Cricket Australia rebukes Sunil Gavaskar for Border-Gavaskar Trophy presentation

The four-match Test series between Australia and India has only match, starting Thursday, January 3, remaining, in Sydney. The visitors are currently leading by 2-1 and would want to end on a resounding note. Moreover, they also are in with a chance of winning their maiden Test series on Australian soil. In the meantime, it has been learned that Sunil Gavaskar won’t be available for presentation in Sydney.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which both nations have been playing since 1996, will be presented only by former Aussie skipper Allan Border. Meanwhile, the retired Indian batsman hasn’t received any invitation from Cricket Australia (CA). Gavaskar mentioned that he only communicated with James Sutherland, the previous CA chief back in May. Sutherland stepped down after the ball-tampering saga.

The heart of the matter

However, Cricket Australia’s Head of Communications Tim Whittaker mentioned that the board has already sent out two emails to Gavaskar, but refrained from disclosing the contents in it. “We won’t be disclosing personal information to media outlets,” he was quoted as saying in Mid Day. He added that if Gavaskar wants to contact him, then he “should wish to have the correspondence forwarded”.

Expressing his disappointment over the matter, Gavaskar remarked: “I would have considered going if the invite had come before the series started as I would have been able to inform the broadcasters (Sony Pictures Network) of that so they could make alternate arrangements.”

This wasn’t the first time when such kind of a miscommunication took place. Back in 2015, he wasn’t invited for presentation despite being in the commentary panel. “To be honest, I am disappointed. In today’s day and age, all it takes is an email, maybe a month earlier, to check I’m going to be in Australia. I would love to have my good mate Allan Border there as well,” Gavaskar mentioned back then.

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