The England and Wales Cricket Board has decided to maintain the Pataudi legacy in India-England cricket by introducing a new Pataudi Medal for the winning captain of the upcoming five-Test series, following the renaming of the Pataudi Trophy to Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy. The formal announcement, originally planned during the WTC final at Lord’s, was postponed due to the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.The decision to rename the trophy faced criticism from cricket veterans including former India captain Sunil Gavaskar. However, Sachin Tendulkar personally intervened in the matter, reaching out to the ECB about preserving the Pataudi name in the bilateral series.“When this happened Sachin reached out to ECB and conveyed that Pataudi name should remain a part of the India-England rivalry. Mr Jay Shah was involved in the discussions. ECB has agreed to the request and decided to present Pataudi Medal to the winning captain,” a BCCI source revealed.The formal announcement regarding the trophy’s renaming is now scheduled for June 19, one day before the series begins at Leeds.
The new trophy namesakes, Tendulkar and Anderson, hold significant records in Test cricket. Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in Test cricket, while Anderson holds the record for most wickets by a fast bowler in the format.The Pataudi family has deep-rooted connections with cricket in both nations. Both Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and his son Mansur served as India’s captains and played county cricket in England.
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The ECB’s decision ensures that while recognizing modern cricket legends through the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, the historical Pataudi connection remains preserved through the newly instituted medal.
