The Test series between India and England starting on June 20 will now be known as the "Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy." Earlier, this series was known as the 'Pataudi Trophy' since 2007. The name was coined to commemorate Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and his father, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, both of them were former captains of the Indian cricket team. But recently the England Cricket Board (ECB) decided to change this name, which angered many fans. Sachin Tendulkar himself has also appealed to the ECB and BCCI to save the legacy of the Pataudi family. Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has given his opinion on this name change. He says that history should not be changed in such haste.
"I loved the name of the Pataudi Trophy because it was a special link between the two countries. Pataudi Sr. played Test cricket for both countries, and the Junior Tiger, i.e., Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, captained India proudly. Hence the name was associated with history. But now that the name has been changed, will this series be called the 'Kohli-Root Trophy' in the next ten years?"
In March, the ECB wrote to the Pataudi family that they wanted to retire the trophy. However, it has been reported that a medal will also be made under the new name which will be named after the late MAK Pataudi and will be given to the winning captain. Sachin Tendulkar, who is called the God of Cricket, is the highest run-scorer in Test cricket. He played 200 Tests from 1989 to 2013 and set several records. At the same time, James Anderson is England's most successful fast bowler and the country's top wicket-taker in Test cricket with 704 wickets. Anderson retired from international cricket last year, but is still playing county cricket.
The two legendary cricketers have faced each other in 14 Test matches, with Anderson dismissing Tendulkar nine times, the highest record for any bowler to dismiss Tendulkar. Right now, England has the Pataudi Trophy, which they retained in a 2-2 draw match played in 2021-22. That series was pending due to Covid-19.
Amid the controversy, both cricket lovers and experts are debating whether it is right to change the name, ignoring history. Many believe that naming the trophy is not just an honor but also a symbol of cricketing relations between the two countries. The fight between the two teams for the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy in this new Test series will be interesting, as well as how the fans and the cricket world accept this name change.