“A little strange…” – Kapil Dev reacts as Pataudi Trophy gets renamed to Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy

The Pataudi Trophy is a Test series that takes place between India and England, and now this series has been renamed the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, as announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The Pataudi Trophy was first introduced to honour former Indian captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who also played county cricket in England. The longest-serving Indian captain of the 90s era has been celebrated across the world, and to remember his name and honour his legacy, the trophy was named after him for the India vs. England Test series starting in 2007.

Nearly two decades later, the ECB suggested renaming the trophy, and it is now called the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy to honour two of the best cricketers from each nation.

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Kapil Dev Calls Trophy Rename ‘Strange’

This decision led to major backlash for the ECB, as former players like Venkatapathy Raju and a few others openly criticized the move. Now, former Indian captain and World Cup winner Kapil Dev has also shared his thoughts on the matter, saying he felt the decision was strange.

"It feels a little strange… like, does this also happen? But that's okay, everything works in cricket. At the end of the day, there is no difference. Cricket is cricket. The cricket on the field should be the same," he said.

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Kapil Backs Shubman Gill to Lead Without Pressure

After facing a lot of backlash from the media and former cricketers and following a request from Sachin Tendulkar to retain Pataudi’s name the ECB considered the feedback. They introduced the Pataudi Medal of Excellence to preserve the legacy of Pataudi, which will now be awarded to the winning captain of the series.

Moreover, Kapil also advised India’s new Test captain, Shubman Gill, to express himself freely without pressure.

"There are no expectations. Just go, play, express yourself. That's more important," Kapil said.

Shubman Gill will lead the team as India’s new Test captain. In the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, this will be the biggest test for the Indian team against England, who also have the home advantage. The first Test of the series will begin on June 20 at Headingley. Stay tuned for more updates on the India tour of England 2025