Sachin Tendulkar has urged BCCI, ECB to retain ‘Pataudi’ connection to ENG vs IND 2025 series: Reports

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has reportedly urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to retain the ‘Nawab of Pataudi’ connection to the England vs India Test series.

The Test series played between India and England in England was earlier named the 'Pataudi Trophy'. However, the ECB recently announced that the series would now be called the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in honor of the two legends.

As per a report in Cricbuzz, Tendulkar has spoken with both the BCC and ECB officials, requesting them to keep the 'Pataudi' legacy alive. The report further added that International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah has also had his say in the matter. Reportedly, following backlash, the ECB has decided to name the medal, which will likely be given to the winning captain, in honor of Pataudi.

“Yes, there is a confirmed plan to retain the Pataudi link in the England-India series,” an ECB official was quoted as telling Cricbuzz.

Meanwhile, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticized the ECB's decision to rename the Pataudi Trophy as the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Writing in his column for Sportstar, he described the move as disturbing and said:

“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... It shows a total lack of sensitivity to the contribution made by the Pataudis to cricket in both England and India."

A special launch event for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was to be held on June 14 on the sidelines of ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final. However, the function was postponed following the plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed the lives of more than 270 people.

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The legacy of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi

The late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi captained India in 40 Tests, winning nine of them. Under him, India registered their maiden overseas Test series triumph in New Zealand in 1967-68, winning the series 3-1.

Despite losing vision in one eye due to a car accident, he ended up playing 46 Tests for India, scoring 2,793 runs at an average of 34.91, with the aid of six hundreds and 16 half-centuries. Cricket experts have often wondered what he could have achieved with proper vision in both eyes.