Sachin Tendulkar Honors Pataudi Legacy with New Trophy Name

A Tribute to Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi

New Delhi: Renowned Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar expressed his commitment to preserving the legacy of the late Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi after learning about the renaming of the India-England Test series trophy. He reached out to Pataudi's family to ensure that the former captain's contributions to cricket would not be overlooked.

The Pataudi trophy has been renamed the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, honoring both Tendulkar and former England bowler James Anderson. This decision was made collaboratively by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the BCCI.

In an interview, Tendulkar shared, "Upon hearing about the trophy being named after me and Anderson, my immediate call was to the Pataudi family." He emphasized the importance of Pataudi's influence on generations of cricketers.

The Pataudi legacy will continue through the introduction of a new award, the 'Pataudi Medal for Excellence,' which will be presented to the winning captain of the series.

Tendulkar engaged in discussions with former BCCI secretary and current ICC chairman Jay Shah, as well as ECB officials, to ensure that Pataudi's name remained integral to the series.

"I communicated my thoughts and stressed the need to honor Pataudi's legacy. I was pleased that our discussions led to the creation of a medal in his name," he remarked.

Tendulkar expressed satisfaction with the outcome of these talks, highlighting the attention given to preserving Pataudi's memory.

"The efforts we made resulted in a positive outcome, not just for Anderson and me, but also for honoring Pataudi, which is a gratifying feeling," he added.

Both Tendulkar and Anderson are celebrated figures in cricket, with Tendulkar playing 200 Tests and Anderson 188.

Reflecting on his first trip to England in 1988, Tendulkar noted, "Hearing that the trophy would bear my name was truly heartwarming and made me feel happy."