Gavaskar Questions Absence of Legends at Trophy Presentation

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar has voiced his disapproval of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for their decision not to include Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson in the presentation ceremony of the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

In a recent column, Gavaskar pondered whether the omission of Tendulkar and Anderson was an oversight or a calculated decision.

He articulated his dismay that the two iconic figures, who gave their names to the trophy, were not present at The Oval for the post-game events.

“Given that this was the first series named in honor of Sachin Tendulkar and Jimmy Anderson, two of the sport’s most celebrated players, one would assume they’d both be there to award the trophy to the captains, especially considering the series concluded without a winner,” he expressed.

Gavaskar highlighted a similarity to when he wasn’t involved in the Border–Gavaskar Trophy ceremony in Australia earlier in the year. Allan Border was the sole presenter on that occasion, as the hosts were victorious.

“From what I understand, both Tendulkar and Anderson were in England at the time. So, were invitations not extended to them? Or was it a situation mirroring what occurred in Australia previously, where only Allan Border was requested to present the trophy because Australia emerged as the series victor?” Gavaskar questioned.

Gavaskar also critiqued the presentation of the Pataudi medal, which is typically given to the winning captain. However, in this instance, it was awarded to both Gill and Stokes, despite the series ending in a draw.

“There was no representation from the Pataudi family at the Pataudi Medal presentation. The drawn series only highlighted the imprudence of retiring the trophy named after them,” he remarked.

Gavaskar proposed that these honors should be reserved for the series’ most valuable player.

“If the series concludes in a draw, the medal cannot be presented each time, can it? Wouldn’t a more sensible approach be to award it to the Player of the Series instead of the captain of the winning team? Moreover, what happens if the captain has a subpar performance and has limited impact on the outcome?” Gavaskar concluded.