Sign in Subscribe
Cricket (Sport)

Sunil Gavaskar Criticizes New England-India Series Trophy Name, Calls for Protest

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Sunil Gavaskar, the 75-year-old former India captain, has expressed strong disapproval over the renaming of the trophy for the winner of the England-India series from the Pataudi Trophy to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The change has sparked controversy, with Gavaskar arguing that James Anderson's name should come after Sachin Tendulkar's due to Tendulkar's greater contribution to the sport and seniority. Gavaskar has gone as far as to suggest that Indian fans should deliberately misname the trophy as a form of protest.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sunil Gavaskar has criticized the renaming of the trophy for the winner of the England-India series, stating that it is "jarring" to see James Anderson's name ahead of Sachin Tendulkar's.
  • Gavaskar argues that Tendulkar's name should come before Anderson's due to Tendulkar's greater seniority and contributions to the sport, including his status as the greatest Indian cricketer, his record-breaking number of runs and centuries, and his part in a World Cup-winning team.
  • Gavaskar suggests that Indian fans should deliberately misname the trophy as a form of protest, calling it the "Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy" instead of the officially renamed "Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy".
  • The renaming of the trophy has replaced the Pataudi Trophy, which commemorated Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, the only player to represent both England and India in Test cricket, and whose son "Tiger" captained India.
  • The Pataudi Medal will now be awarded to the winning captain of the series, in addition to the new trophy.

Statistics:

  • 10 years at which Sachin Tendulkar is senior to James Anderson.
  • 34 Test hundreds made by Sunil Gavaskar during his career.
  • 2007 - the year in which the Pataudi Trophy was first awarded.
  • 52 years of age when Sachin Tendulkar retired from the sport.
  • 42 years of age when James Anderson currently is.

Sources:

  • "Sunil Gavaskar's column for Mid-Day" [https://www.mid-day.com sports]
  • "The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy" [https://www.ebcricket.com/series/en/india-england]

Read more