India's World Cup-winning captain drops 'strange' verdict on Pataudi Trophy being scrapped
Published - 19 Jun 2025, 02:10 PM | Updated - 19 Jun 2025, 03:44 PM
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The historic Pataudi Trophy has been renamed as the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy ahead of the five-match Test series between England and India, and Kapil Dev is among those left shocked by the sudden change.
This surprising decision was taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) ahead of the high-profile Test series to honor the two modern greats, Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson. But the renaming has raised many eyebrows, especially because of the emotional and historical legacy carried by the Pataudi Trophy.
Kapil Dev ‘Shocked’ as ECB unveils Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
The Pataudi Trophy, which had been given as the prize for the winner of the Test series hosted in England against India since 2007, was named in memory of the legendary Indian cricketer Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who also played county cricket for Sussex.
His father, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, had the rare honor of playing for both England and India. Now, the sudden rebranding of the historic Pataudi Trophy has sparked a debate among the fans and former cricketers about whether traditions are being thrown away too easily.
Now, speaking on the sidelines of an event organized by Three Sixty to commemorate his iconic unbeaten 175 during the 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells, the legendary cricketer Kapil Dev has expressed his shock over the ECB’s decision.
It feels a little strange: Kapil Dev on renaming Pataudi Trophy
The legendary all-rounder and former captain said that the renaming of the Pataudi Trophy felt strange, but noted that the cricket remains the same when India and England battle out for the Pataudi Trophy or the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Kapil Dev was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times, “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.”
Recently, Sachin Tendulkar and ICC chairman Jay Shah contacted the ECB and tried to convince them not to drop the Pataudi Trophy. Well, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will now not go anywhere, but the ECB has kept the Pataudi Medal for Excellence, which will now be given to the winning captain to honor the former India skipper’s legacy.
Read Also: West Indies players brutally punished by ICC for shocking act during South Africa clash
Kapil Dev offers words of wisdom to Shubman Gill ahead of England Tests
Meanwhile, the upcoming five-match Test series marks the beginning of a new chapter for Indian cricket. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket last month, the spotlight now shifts to young Shubman Gill, who has been handed the Test captaincy despite not having experience leading the red-ball side.
Gill’s first assignment as India’s Test captain is the upcoming Test series in England, and Kapil Dev, one of India’s greatest captains, shared a simple message for the 25-year-old. The legendary all-rounder suggested the new captain focus on playing freely and being yourself on the field.
The 1983 World Cup winner asked Gill just to enjoy the game and express his natural style, which is the demand of the current stage where India is going through the transition phase. Kapil signed off by saying, “There are no expectations. Just go, play, and express yourself. That's more important.”
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