Allan Border in sad fallout as Cricket Australia responds to 'disrespectful' Sunil Gavaskar snub

Allan Border has unwittingly been caught in controversy over Cricket Australia's mistake to snub Sunil Gavaskar during the trophy presentation at the SCG on Sunday. Border was asked to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Pat Cummins after Australia secured a 3-1 series victory over India with a six-wicket win in the fifth Test.

Cricket Australia made a decision before the match that the winning captain would be presented the trophy by either Border or Gavaskar (not both) - depending on which country won. But it created awkward scenes on Sunday because Gavaskar was in attendance at the SCG for his commentary commitments and wasn't invited on stage to present the trophy bearing his name.

Cricket Australia has since conceded it was the wrong decision and Cummins should have been handed the trophy by both Border and Gavaskar. “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.

Gavaskar told News Corp: “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 at the ground. To me it should not matter if Australia won when it comes to the presentation. They played the better cricket so they won. That’s fine. I would have been happy to present the trophy with my good friend Allan Border.”

The former India captain also told the ABC he was informed before the Sydney Test started that it would be one of Border or Gavaskar but not both. "If India didn't win or draw the series I wouldn't be required," he said. "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."

Allan Border caught in fallout over 'disrespectful' move

Cricket fans and pundits have also lashed out at the move, describing it as "disrespectful" that Gavaskar was snubbed. And it's also created a sad situation for Border, with some fans unfairly laying the blame at his feet.

The controversy overshadowed what should have been a celebration of Border's bravery amid the 69-year-old's public battle with Parkinson's Disease. The former Test captain has noticeably changed over the last 12 months, and his movements and mannerisms are markedly different.

But rather than shy away from the public eye, Border has made a number of courageous appearances during the Test series. He brought out the trophy with Gavaskar before the first Test in Perth, and has been doing some commentary work with Fox Cricket.

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Rather than celebrating Border's bravery on Sunday to get on stage and present Cummins with the trophy, the cricket world is talking about Gavaskar's snub instead. It comes amid the sad realisation that none of the Test team will be in attendance for the Australian Cricket Awards later this month to accept the Allan Border Medal in person.

The Test team will be in Sri Lanka when the awards take place in late January, and the scheduling conflict couldn't be avoided due to the jam-packed men's and women's calendars. Unless Pat Cummins is in attendance (he's staying home for the birth of his second child) and wins the award, it means the Allan Border Medallist won't be able to accept it in person for the first time in its 25-year history.