Sunil Gavaskar slams Cricket Australia | Photo credit (PTI/AP)

Indian cricket team ended their tour to Australia on a high as MS Dhoni guided the Men in Blue to a seven-wicket win in the 3rd and the final ODI at Melbourne with which India also completed a 2-1 series triumph. The ODI series win comes after India became the first Asian country to register a Test series win on Australian soil. As players were handed over cash rewards after the third ODI, former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar slammed Cricket Australia for handing over a paltry cheque of Rs 500 dollar cheque to Yuzvendra Chahal and MS Dhoni – who were adjudged Man of the Match as well as Man of the Series respectively.

As Dhoni collected the Man of the Series trophy, Gavaskar opined that Cricket Australia, who earns so much from sponsorships, was handing over a meagre check of INR 35, 000 to the top player. Dhoni’s earning as player of the match and player of the series will also earned will also go to charity. (Also Read: MS Dhoni completes a hat-trick of fifties, reaffirms World Cup credentials)

"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'.

"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," he added.

Cricket fans were impressed with Gavaskar hitting out at Cricket Australia for being misers while rewarding cricketers with cash prizes. Here are some of the reactions:

Absolutely right by Sunil Gavaskar

35000 to the players who are giving you the popularity and the rights?

Its more like an insult to them.....#AUSvIND — Aryan Bhalla (@AryanBhalla57) January 18, 2019

Sahi bola sunil gavaskar ne — Aʏᴀᴀɴ (@YoursAyaan) January 18, 2019

Dhoni was instrumental in India’s seven-wicket win in the third ODI where he scored an unbeaten 87 runs off 114 balls. Dhoni was also involved in an impressive 121-run stand for the fourth-wicket partnership with Kedar Jadhav (61 off 57 balls) who looked equally impressive. While these two cricketers impressed with the bat, leggie Chahal was the star with the ball on his ODI comeback as he dismantled hosts' batting line-up with a six-wicket haul.

