Advertisement
Pataudi Trophy Renamed To Anderson Tendulkar Trophy Sparks Backlash
The Pataudi Trophy has been renamed Anderson Tendulkar Trophy. Fans and former players strongly oppose this change, citing loss of tradition and history.
Advertisement
Cricket World Divided Over Changing Pataudi Trophy Name
The England-India Test series, known as the Pataudi Trophy, will now be called the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. This decision has caused strong protests from cricket fans and former players.
New Trophy Named After Anderson and Tendulkar
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that the new trophy will be named after England’s famous fast bowler James Anderson and India’s legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar. It will be revealed at Lord’s stadium before the World Test Championship final. This change comes just days before the series starts on June 20 at Headingley.
Reason for Name Change: To Attract Younger Fans?
According to the ECB, the name was changed to attract younger cricket fans by using the names of modern, well-known players. But those who respect cricket traditions feel differently.
Cricket Traditionalists and Fans Do Not Like the Change
Many Indian cricket fans and people who value tradition do not like this change. They say the Pataudi Trophy has deep history and tells the story of both countries.
Shashi Tharoor’s Strong Reaction
Writer and politician Shashi Tharoor wrote on X, “The problem is how little today’s cricket leaders respect history and tradition. I was lucky to watch a Pataudi Trophy Test with Sharmila Tagore — this decision is very disrespectful to her and her family.”
History and Importance of Pataudi Trophy
The Pataudi Trophy was created in 2007 to celebrate 75 years of India’s Test cricket. It honors Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and his son Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. The elder Pataudi is the only player who played Tests for both England and India. His son, ‘Tiger’ Pataudi, built a confident team for India in 1960.
The Pataudi family’s story is connected to India’s history before and after partition. The involvement of England, their colonial rulers, makes it even more special.
Sharmila Tagore’s Response
Sharmila Tagore, Tiger Pataudi’s wife and a famous actress, is reportedly hurt by this decision but has left it to the BCCI to respond.
Sunil Gavaskar Says It Shows Lack of Respect for History
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar called this decision “insensitive and lacking understanding of history.” In his column, he said, “It’s the first time a trophy named after individual players is being retired. This shows disrespect to the Pataudi family’s contributions to cricket in both England and India.”
He added that if an Indian player were asked about this, he hopes the player will politely refuse.
Harsha Bhogle’s View
Commentator Harsha Bhogle said this change breaks the connection between the Pataudi family and the shared culture and cricket traditions of both countries.
“I am a big fan of Anderson and Tendulkar, so I should have liked the new name. But it misses the deep meaning of the Pataudi Trophy. The name Pataudi Trophy sounded very good,” he wrote on X.
Fans Disappointed and See It as Breaking Tradition
Cricket fans are upset that the trophy’s name is being changed just 18 years after it was created. Many see this as breaking a tradition and ask why such an important piece of cricket history is being changed.
Sports Writer Joy Bhattacharjya’s Comment
Sports writer Joy Bhattacharjya said, “If you change it now, what will you name it after 20 years? The UK usually keeps traditions well. The Pataudi family is an important part of cricket history. Why was there a need to change?”
ECB Has Not Responded Yet
So far, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has not replied to the criticism.
ALSO READ: The Season That Stole My Heart and Broke It: My IPL 2025 Story
Advertisement