Former Cricketers Unite Against Renaming Pataudi Trophy After Anderson and Tendulkar

The Pataudi Trophy was established in 2007 as the desired award for the victor of the series between the two teams on English soil, in advance of the 75th anniversary of India's debut in Test cricket (their first match being against England at Lord's in June 1932). A similar trophy for winners of Indo-England matches in India was the Anthony S. De Mello Trophy, which was named after one of the two founders of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Former Indian cricket players have criticised the England Cricket Board's (ECB) decision to change the Pataudi Trophy's name to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Former cricket players and close friends of former India captain and icon Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi denounced the decision as a disrespect to elders and the cricketing community, while the Indian board, also known as the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), approved the ECB's plan.

Pataudi Trophy Row:

Former first-class cricket player Saad Bin Jung, who is descended from the Pataudi family, said he found the move perplexing and believed that individuals will stop at nothing to gain notoriety and glory. According to him, the cricket community no longer respects those who participated in the decision.

Mid Day quoted Saad saying, "It's baffling to see a cricketer allowing a trophy to be taken away from a former Indian Test captain and renamed in his own honour. This reflects a total disregard for the cricketing community and his seniors in the game. It speaks volumes about how far people are willing to go for recognition, any form of fame, even if it means overshadowing those who led Indian cricket before them. In doing so, you’ve lost all respect in my eyes and in the eyes of the entire cricket fraternity."

Yajurvindra Singh said, "It is ridiculous to retire the Pataudi Trophy. Tiger, to me, was one of the greatest Indian cricketers to play the game. He led India for over a decade and played with one eye—that’s greatness personified! I can’t imagine a single international cricketer performing the way he did at the highest level. Milburn, Ranji, and many others tried and failed. The BCCI should have stepped in before the proposal came from the England and Wales Cricket Board."

Venkatapathy Raju stated, "Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run-scorer and Anderson the highest wicket-taker [against India], so maybe that was the reasoning behind this decision, but discarding the Pataudi Trophy entirely feels unnecessary."

The Pataudi Trophy is now relegated to the past. In two weeks, India and England will square off in the former's backyard for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which is named after James Anderson, the five-day game's most prolific fast bowler, and Sachin Tendulkar, the best batter of his generation. In addition to being great examples of how to play the game in its true spirit, both are icons, trailblazers, and trend-setters who never give up on perfection. There is no doubt as to their deservingness of this distinction. They both deserve to be honoured since they are living legends. But at the Pataudis' expense? Why?

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