Veteran cricketer Sunil Gavaskar on Friday slammed the hosts Australia for not honouring Team India with any cash award after Virat Kohli-led side scripted history with the ODI series triumph. Gavaskar also said the players deserved a share of the revenue they generated through the tournament.
Team India thrashed Australia 2-1 to clinch their maiden bilateral ODI series Down Under.
Yuzvendra Chahal, who won Man of the Match trophy for his six wickets haul, and Man of the Series MS Dhoni were given USD 500 each for their performances in the post-match presentation.
Both Chahal and Dhoni donated their prize money to a charity. The Indian team was given the winners’ trophy by former Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist. Following the end of the post-match presentation, Gavaskar lambasted the hosts for not handing out any cash awards.
“What is USD 500 and it’s a pity that the team has got only a trophy. They (organisers) earn so much money through broadcast rights. Why can’t they give good prize money to the players? After all, players are the sole reason for the sport getting huge money (from sponsors),” Gavaskar said on ‘Sony Six’.
Another Trophy in the cabinet. 2-1 🇮🇳🇮🇳
Jai Hind #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/oq101deoed— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2019
Gavaskar added, “Look at the prize money being given away at the Wimbledon (Championships). It’s phenomenal. The players are key in generating money, so they must be rewarded handsomely.”
Great series win and a total team performance. So happy to finish the tour on a high. Jai hind 🇮🇳 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/zkLK0ykRqu
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 18, 2019
Last year, in the Wimbledon Championships, the singles winners were given Rs 21 crore (approx) and even those who exited in the first round of the tournament pocketed close to Rs 36 lakh each.
Team India’s just-concluded Australia tour was their most successful one Down Under. India won both the Test and the ODI series 2-1 and drew the Twenty20 series 1-1.