New Delhi: Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday said he reached out to the family of late Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi as soon as he got to know that the India-England Test series trophy was being renamed and tried to ensure that the former captain’s association with the marquee showdown remained intact.
The Pataudi trophy has been replaced by the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy in honour of the Indian batting great and former England pacer James Anderson. The decision to retire the Pataudi trophy was jointly taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the BCCI.
“I know that the Pataudi Trophy was retired a few months ago by BCCI and ECB. But when I got to know about the trophy being named after me and (James) Anderson, my first phone call was to the Pataudi family,” the Mumbai maestro recalled in an interview to PTI.
As it turns out, the name ‘Pataudi’ will remain associated with the series. The organisers have reportedly decided to introduce the Pataudi Medal of Excellence, to be awarded to the winning captain at the end of each series.
Tendulkar elaborated that all parties agreed on the importance of preserving the Pataudi legacy, and he did his utmost to ensure that outcome during his discussions with key decision-makers.
“Thereafter, we had a second call, and it was decided to award the Pataudi Medal of Excellence to the winning captain. You need to understand that the decision on retiring the trophy rested with the BCCI and the ECB, and once I was informed, I did all I could to ensure the legacy was kept intact,” he said.
The initial decision to rename the series sparked criticism from several former cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar, who questioned the need for the change. Celebrated cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle remarked that the rebranding had taken away the emotional connection the Pataudi family held with both countries.
The Pataudi family has a storied cricketing heritage that bridges India and England. Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi uniquely represented both nations, while his son, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, captained India in 40 Tests and led the team to their first-ever overseas series win, in New Zealand in 1967.
Meanwhile, England’s veteran fast bowler James Anderson expressed pride in the rebranded trophy, which now carries his name alongside that of one of his cricketing heroes.
“I remember watching him absolute legend of the game- and I played against him a lot as well. So to have this trophy named after us is a huge honour for me, and I couldn’t be more proud,” Anderson said.
