File picture of Team India skipper Sourav Ganguly receiving the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border at the SCG on January 6 this year. Despite the series being drawn, India retained the Trophy as they had beaten Australia 2-1 in the previous series at home

Calcutta: Not many days ago, Sunil Gavaskar slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for allowing the sponsor of the ongoing series, TVS, to present a cup. Since 1996, after all, India and Australia have played for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

And, on Tuesday night, Cricket Australia (CA) chairman Bob Merriman revealed he didn?t even know that the TVS Cup ? unveiled by Sourav Ganguly and Adam Gilchrist in Bangalore on October 5 ? was also on offer.

Speaking to The Telegraph at the Pride Hotel in Nagpur, Merriman said: ?It?s news to me... All along I thought we were battling for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy... I can?t understand how one series can be played for two trophies...?

In fact, talking exclusively, the legendary Allan Border echoed much the same thoughts as his iconic contemporary, Gavaskar.

?Sure, I understand the need for a sponsor but, really, two presentations shouldn?t be made,? he pointed out.

This four-Test series ends in Mumbai on November 7.

Laughing, Border (now one of four selectors) quipped: ?Actually, given that we?ve just won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy once, in 1999-2000, I?ve even forgotten what it looks like!?

Incidentally, in the last series (2003-04), CA did have a sponsor ? a mobile service provider ? but at the end of what was a great contest (in Sydney), the official trophy alone was presented to Sourav.

Gavaskar, it may be recalled, had this to say in his column: ?Only in India can an event be played for different trophies... Whatever the reason, it?s something that will not happen in other countries.

?When do you see the Ashes played for any other Cup or the West Indies-Australia series for anything other than the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy? The game needs sponsors and there is nothing against the current sponsor, but has the Border-Gavaskar Trophy not been devalued??

Gavaskar, the Team India consultant in this series, added: ?In Mumbai, where Allan is due to witness the Test, I?m not sure whether he would want to be present to hand over the Trophy and, anyway, which one is going to be presented first? The sponsor?s Cup or the Border-Gavaskar Trophy? Why would we want to get insulted further??

In a season of having to answer a lot of questions, from different quarters, the BCCI must give one more reply.