Sachin Tendulkar, an Indian cricket legend, wanted to ensure that the Pataudi name remained a vital part of the India-England Test series. To honour this legacy, Tendulkar recommended that the victorious captain get a medal named after previous Indian captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.
In honour of the two greats from their respective countries, the Pataudi Trophy has been renamed the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Tendulkar stated that his goal was to maintain the legacy of one of India’s greatest leaders while also commemorating the rich past shared by India and England.
“I recall some time ago. When the ECB and BCCI decommissioned the Pataudi Trophy, it came as a nice surprise to me a few months later to learn that the trophy had been christened after the two of us. I immediately called the Pataudi family and chatted with them; I also discussed keeping the Pataudi legacy alive and stated, ‘I’ll have some ideas. Tendulkar answered, “I will get back to you,”.
“I discussed my ideas with the BCCI and the ECB. I think the outcome was extremely good. We decided to award the Pataudi Medal of Excellence to the winning captain, who was noted for his leadership abilities. The legacy is kept alive. “I’ve always believed that someone who has contributed to Indian cricket and cricket around the world deserves to be respected and remembered,” he continued.
The new trophy features images of Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar in action, along with their engraved signatures.
Both are the most capped players in the history of Test cricket, with Tendulkar having played 200 matches and Anderson participating in 188 Tests.
“It’s a reflection of our contribution to our respective nations in Test cricket. I’ve played for 24 years, and Anderson played for 21 years. So both of us put together, it’s a substantial number of years – 45 years put together of international cricket, especially Test. That makes me feel happy. I know the appreciation is in a different way as naming the Trophy after us,” Tendulkar concluded.
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