"It shows a lack of sensitivity" - Indian legend slams trophy renaming for ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his displeasure over the decision to rebrand the 'Pataudi Trophy' for the ENG vs IND 2025 Tests. The Test series between India and England was formerly named after ex-India captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.

However, the Pataudi Trophy is set to retire, with the upcoming five-match Test series between the two sides being branded as the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Gavaskar opined that the change shows a lack of sensitivity to Pataudi's contribution.

Writing in his column for Sportstar, the cricketer-turned-commentator remarked:

"The recent news that the ECB is going to retire the Pataudi Trophy, given to the winners of the Test series between England and India in England, is disturbing indeed. This is the first time one has heard of a trophy named after individual players being retired, though the decision is entirely the ECB’s, and the BCCI may well have been informed. It shows a total lack of sensitivity to the contribution made by the Pataudis to cricket in both England and India."

Gavaskar also hoped that if approached, the Indian players will decline the offer of having their names on the rebranded Pataudi Trophy for the ENG vs IND 2025 Tests.

"There may well be a new trophy named after more recent players, and here’s hoping that if an Indian player has been approached, he will have the good sense to politely decline — not only out of respect for two former India captains but also to avoid the same fate of having a trophy named after him retired after he is gone. The ECB is fully entitled to name the trophy after one of their own players, but I, along with loads of Indian cricket supporters, fervently hope that any other Indian cricketer will have the smarts to decline, lest history repeats itself as it has with the Pataudi Trophy. he added.

It is worth mentioning that the Pataudi Trophy was first introduced in 2007 on the 75th anniversary of the first-ever Test between the two countries. The trophy was awarded to the winners when the bilateral Test series was hosted by England.

When the two teams square off in a Test series on Indian soil, the winning team receives the Anthony de Mello Trophy, named after the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president. Anthony de Mello is also among the founding members of the board.

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Sachin Tendulkar urges ECB to preserve Pataudi legacy ahead of England-India Test series

Amid the plans to name the ENG vs IND 2025 Tests after modern-day greats Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson, the former has reportedly urged the England England and Wales Cricket Board to retain the 'Pataudi' connection for the ENG vs IND 2025 Tests.

According to Cricbuzz, Tendulkar has communicated his feelings to both BCCI and ECB. An ECB official also confirmed that the Pataudi connection will continue being part of the Test series in some capacity.

The official was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz:

"Yes, there is a confirmed plan to retain the Pataudi link in the England-India series."

The five-match ENG vs IND 2025 Test series is set to kick off at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday, June 20.