James Anderson, the legendary England fast bowler, is thrilled about the renaming of the England-India Test series. Reports suggest that the next edition of the series will be titled the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, marking a shift from the traditional Pataudi Trophy.
Although the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the England and Wales Cricket Board have not yet confirmed this change, Anderson expressed his pride in having his name associated with the great Sachin Tendulkar, calling it a huge honour.
“It’s an incredible honour,” Anderson shared with ESPNcricinfo during an interview. “I’m still struggling to believe it. Sachin was someone I admired greatly as a youngster, though I wouldn’t want to refer to his age in that context.”
He continued, “I remember watching him play—he’s truly a legend of the sport, and I had the privilege of competing against him many times. So to now have this trophy named after us is something I’m deeply proud of.”
The Pataudi Trophy, which was introduced in 2007 to mark 75 years since the first-ever Test match between India and England, has historically been awarded during the series played in England. The trophy was named in honour of the Pataudi family, which was home to two distinguished Indian captains: Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and his son Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, famously known as Tiger Pataudi.
However, this year, the series will no longer be contested for the Pataudi Trophy. Instead, it will be fought for under the newly established Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, recognising the monumental impact of both Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson in shaping the iconic rivalry between the two nations.