India's batting legend Sunil Gavaskar reveals how Prime Minister Narendra Modi got his hands on the World Cup trophy during a photo-op in Melbourne
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott (left) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday
Canberra: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, part of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi's entourage in Australia, yesterday provided a lighter moment on the Indian PM's diplomatic visit Down Under.
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott (left) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday. Pic/PTI
It so happened that Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott were supposed to pose with the World Cup and Border-Gavaskar trophies that were on display at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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Gavaskar said: "When the photo opportunity was on, I saw Modi was holding the World Cup trophy. Abbot held the Border-Gavaskar trophy. I told the PM 'you are holding the right trophy. This is the one we want next year. India already holds the Border-Gavaskar trophy, we don't need it just now'."
Meanwhile, both Modi and Abbott made plenty of references to cricket — a common sporting interest between both nations — during their interaction yesterday.
At a joint press conference with the Indian PM by his side, Abbott set the ball rolling and fired the first shot, saying that Modi has "runs on the board" to meet the aspirations of the people.
When it was Modi's turn to bat, he said. "We celebrate the legend of (Don) Bradman and the class of (Sachin) Tendulkar together. We are impressed by Australian speed just as you are charmed by Indian spin, until of course Shane Warne came along," said Modi even as the group cracked up.
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