BCCI requests ECB to name one of the post-match awards after Pataudi in the upcoming England vs India Test series

India’s upcoming five-match Test series in England is all set to begin on 20 June, marking the start of a new era in Test cricket for the Men in Blue. This will be India’s first series after the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the longest format, with newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill leading the side, alongside head coach Gautam Gambhir.

However, ahead of the series, it has been revealed that the contest will now be called the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, in honour of two of the game’s greatest legends—James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar. Previously, since 2007, the Test series played in England between the two sides was known as the Pataudi Trophy, named after former India captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.

The change has sparked controversy, as the Pataudi Trophy was created to mark 75 years since India played their first Test against England. With the renaming, fans and cricket lovers expressed strong reactions, questioning the removal of Pataudi’s name and legacy from the series.

Now, reports suggest that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to name one of the post-match awards after Pataudi, in order to keep his memory alive in some capacity. The backlash from fans may have prompted the BCCI to step in and make this request.

While speaking to The Indian Express, a BCCI official explained: "It's the ECB who decides on whom they want to name their series. The BCCI has no role in it as it's their home series. We have requested them to name one of the post match Trophy on Pataudi and they will revert to us."

The unveiling of the new trophy was initially scheduled to take place on 14 June, on the sidelines of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s. However, following the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on 12 June, both the ECB and BCCI jointly decided to postpone the event out of respect.

In an interaction with Cricbuzz, a high-ranked ECB official said: "Given the tragic events in India, the announcement may wait a while out of respect (for the lives lost). The BCCI are still deciding on the right time for the announcement. The announcement had been kept flexible due to the tragedy."

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