The grand unveiling of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was originally scheduled for Day 4 of the ICC World Test Championship final.
The ICC had planned a special ceremony at Lord’s to mark the occasion, but no such event took place on the day. As it turns out, the unveiling was postponed due to a tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Although the final ended earlier than expected—with South Africa defeating tournament favorites Australia by six wickets in the first session of Day 4—it wasn’t the early finish that caused the delay. A senior official from the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed to Cricbuzz that the unveiling was postponed out of respect for the victims of the crash. A new plan will be finalized soon in consultation with the Indian cricket board.
The highly anticipated five-match Test series between England and India is set to begin this Friday at Headingley.
This series was previously known as the Pataudi Trophy, named in honor of Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi—who played for both England and India—and his son, former Indian captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. However, beginning with this edition, the trophy has been renamed to honor two legends of the game: the most successful batter in Test history, Sachin Tendulkar, and the leading wicket-taking fast bowler, James Anderson.
Still, the name “Pataudi” may not be entirely erased from the series. Reports had emerged of some dissatisfaction within the Pataudi family and parts of India’s cricketing community over the renaming. According to Cricbuzz, Sachin Tendulkar personally spoke with officials from both cricket boards, exploring ways to preserve the Pataudi name in some form. Even ICC Chairman Jay Shah is said to have become involved following Tendulkar’s request.
As a result of their efforts, it’s now expected that the Pataudi name will remain associated with the series—though perhaps in a different capacity. While not yet official, there are discussions about introducing a “Pataudi Medal” to be awarded to the winning captain of the series.
