"Were they simply not invited?"- Indian legend questions absence of Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson in ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar questioned the absence of Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson from the presentation ceremony on the final day of the fifth England versus India Test match at The Oval. The 76-year-old wondered whether the series ending in a 2-2 draw played a part in their absence from the presentation.

The 2025 England versus India Test series was the first bilateral series between the two teams that was contested for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Gavaskar wrote in his Sportstar column:

"This was the first-ever series named after Sachin Tendulkar and Jimmy Anderson, two of cricket’s greatest legends. One would have expected both to be present to give the trophy to the two captains, especially since the series ended in a draw. To the best of one’s knowledge, both were in England at the time.

"So, were they simply not invited? Or was this similar to what happened in Australia earlier this year, when only Allan Border was asked to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy because Australia had won the series? Since this England series was drawn, perhaps neither was asked to attend the presentation."

Both Anderson and Tendulkar were present in London for the trophy unveiling in June 2025. The trophy replaced the Pataudi Trophy that both India and England competed for when bilateral series were held in England.

Sunil Gavaskar questions the absence of Pataudi family member on final day at The Oval

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar also questioned the absence of a Pataudi family member on the final day of the fifth Test at The Oval. He added that the 2-2 scoreline had made the decision makers look silly in trying to retire the Pataudi Trophy and replace it with the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

"Nobody from the Pataudi family was there either, for the Pataudi medal, which was to be presented to the winning team’s captain. The drawn series showed how silly this idea was of trying to make up to the Pataudis by retiring the trophy named after them.

"Every time the series is drawn, the medal can’t be presented, can it? Wouldn’t it be better, therefore, to have the medal for the Man of the Series than give it to the winning team’s captain? And what if the captain himself has had an ordinary series and had little impact on the result? If there had been a result and the Pataudi medal had to be given to the Man of the Series, it would have been a tough choice, for both skippers were simply outstanding," he wrote.

After Pataudi Trophy was retired and replaced by the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had decided to keep the Pataudi legacy going, by awarding the Pataudi Medal to the best captain in the series.