Sachin Tendulkar breaks silence on Anderson-Tendulkar trophy controversy: 'I told Pataudi family I will do all I can…'

The legendary Sachin Tendulkar has finally opened up on the controversy surrounding the Pataudi Trophy and the England Cricket Board's decision to rename the Test series between India and England to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Ideally, Tendulkar would have been thrilled to have a tournament of such stature named in his honour. However, out of deep respect for the Pataudi family's enduring legacy and their immense contributions to Indian cricket, the Little Master has pledged to do everything in his power to ensure that it thrives. Sachin Tendulkar will do everything in his power to ensure the Pataudi legacy stays on(AFP)

"Yes, I have [stay silent]. Let me then tell you the full thing. First things first, the decision to retire the trophy rested with the BCCI and the ECB. Only after they had taken the decision did they communicate that to me. As far as the Pataudi family is concerned, I am conscious of the contribution they have made to Indian cricket. Pataudi senior played for England and for India, while Tiger Pataudi captained India with distinction. I did not see them play for I wasn't born, but I have indeed heard stories and those stories inspire us all," Tendulkar told RevSportz.

"That's why I was determined to ensure that the legacy was kept intact. When I got to know, I called the family and had a conversation. Thereafter, I spoke to Mr. Jay Shah, the BCCI and the ECB, and mentioned to them that something had to be done to ensure the legacy stayed on. They heard my point of view, and thereafter we got on a second call where it was decided that the Pataudi name will be associated with the series, and the winning captain will be awarded the Pataudi Medal of Excellence. I have always respected my seniors, and did everything in my power to make sure that the Pataudi legacy continues to be associated with this series."

Also Read: Kapil Dev reacts sharply to Pataudi Trophy being renamed Anderson-Tendulkar'; 'Felt strange. Does this also happen?'

The India-England series was rechristened to the Pataudi Trophy in 2007, when India won only its second Test series in England. The trophy was awarded to the Indian team, then captained by Rahul Dravid, which Tendulkar was a part of, after it beat England 1-0 in the three-Test series, to mark the 75th anniversary of the first-ever India vs England Test match in 1932. The trophy is a part of Indian cricketing folklore, embodying the deep cricketing ties between the Pataudis and the India-England rivalry.

Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar steps in, speaks to BCCI, ECB after Pataudi Trophy rebranded to Anderson-Tendulkar; 'Change of heart…'

The backlash and James Anderson's reaction

Ever since the news of the ECB's decision to retire the Pataudi Trophy first broke, it was met with plenty of backlash from fans and former cricketers alike. Sunil Gavaskar was very vocal in his criticism of the call, and after plenty of more such reactions, the BCCI urged the ECB to introduce the Pataudi medal to the winning captain. Anderson was the first to react to the rechristening, calling it a huge honour and lavishing praise on Tendulkar.

Also Read: No disrespect to Anderson-Tendulkar, but renaming the Pataudi Trophy isn’t quite cricket

"It's a huge honour. I still can't quite believe it. Sachin is someone I looked up to when I was growing up, though I don't want to do him a disservice with his age. "I remember watching him, an absolute legend of the game, and I played against him a lot as well. So to have this trophy is a huge honour for me, and I couldn't be more proud," Anderson had told ESPNcricinfo.

The Anderson-Tendulkar trophy was believed to be unveiled last Saturday, which turned out to be Day 4 of the World Test Championship between South Africa and Australia, but had to be postponed due to the Air India plane tragedy, which led to the loss of several lives back in India. Tendulkar had remained oddly silent on the matter until breaking his silence a day before the series kicks off in Headingley on Friday.

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