Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has responded to the controversy over the renaming of the India-England Test series trophy. The series, earlier known as the Pataudi Trophy, will now be played as the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy. The decision by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had drawn strong criticism from fans and experts across the cricketing world. In an interview with RevSportz, Tendulkar clarified his role and thoughts on the issue. He said the decision to retire the Pataudi Trophy was made by the BCCI and the ECB. He was informed only after the decision had been finalised.
"Let me then tell you the full thing. First things first, the decision to retire the trophy rested with the BCCI and the ECB. Only after they had taken the decision did they communicate that to me," Tendulkar told RevSportz. “As far as the Pataudi family is concerned, I am conscious of the contribution they have made to Indian cricket. Pataudi senior played for England and for India, while Tiger Pataudi captained India with distinction. I did not see them play for I wasn't born, but I have indeed heard stories and those stories inspire us all,” Tendulkar said. "That's why I was determined to ensure that the legacy was kept intact," he said.
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The batting great said he felt it was important to ensure that the Pataudi legacy was not forgotten. He revealed that he contacted the Pataudi family soon after hearing the news. He also reached out to ICC President and former BCCI Secretary Jay Shah to express his concerns. "When I got to know, I called the (Pataudi) family and had a conversation. Thereafter, I spoke to Mr Jay Shah, the BCCI and the ECB, and mentioned to them that something had to be done to ensure the legacy stayed on," Tendulkar revealed. Following talks, both boards agreed to introduce the Pataudi Medal of Excellence, which will now be awarded to the captain of the winning team in the England-India Test series.
The Pataudi Trophy, introduced in 2007, was named to honour Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. Both served as India’s Test captains and played county cricket in England. Iftikhar was the only cricketer to represent both India and England in Test matches. The new Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy honours the two most capped players in Test history. James Anderson has played 188 Tests and taken 704 wickets. Sachin Tendulkar played 200 Tests and scored 15,921 runs.