The two cricketers, both former captains of their respective countries, are unique in that they are the only two players to score over 10,000 runs in Test cricket. Sunny Gavaskar was in his time the most consistent opening batsman in the world, while AB was the most durable middle order batsman of his generation. India and Australia, thus, would appear to have chosen the two cricketers most fitted to have a trophy named after them.

In this context, let's take a look at other trophies named after eminent former cricketers.

There is, to begin with, the Anthony De Mello Trophy, constituted in 1961-'62 and presented by the Cricket-Club of India for the team that wins a Test series in India.

De Mello was one of the founders of the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 1928-29, and played a leading role in the setting up of the Ranji Trophy in 1934-35. But perhaps his most lasting contribution to Indian cricket was the construction of the Brabourne Stadium, and the creation of the Cricket Club of India. He died in 1961.

From 1963 onwards, the winner of a Test series in England between England and the West Indies received the Wisden Trophy, named after John Wisden, founder of the eponymous cricketing almanac and in his time, ''a good bat and bowler unsurpassed, a fast friend and a generous employer.'' This trophy was instituted in 1963 to commemorate 100 years of the publication of Wisden.

Beginning with the 1964-'65 season, the winner of a West Indies-Australia Test series was given the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy. Three years before he died of leukaemia in 1967, Worrell was knighted for his services to cricket. He was a great cricketer, a great captain, an exemplary ambassador for West Indies cricket, and a man of strong convictions. Had he lived, he would surely have become a statesman in world cricketing affairs.

And finally, a couple of years back, the BCCI decided to honour a descendant of the royal family of Baroda, Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad, by naming a trophy after him. The trophy is awarded to the winner of and India-West Indies Test series. Gaekwad brought to his playing a genuine love for cricket - a love that he later parlayed into instructive sessions in the commentary box.

A final note: The Anthony De Mello Trophy is the only one to be presented by a club - the Cricket Club of India - while the other trophies named after cricketing greats have been awarded by the respective cricket boards of the particular countries.