India-England Rivalry Gets a New Trophy Honouring Two Legends
The historic Test cricket rivalry between India and England will now be contested for a new prize: the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have jointly unveiled the new trophy, which honors two of the game's most iconic figures, Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson. The trophy, featuring images and engraved signatures of both players, marks a new chapter for a contest rich in history.
This new prize will replace the previous trophies associated with the rivalry. In England, the teams played for the Pataudi Trophy, while in India, they contested the Anthony De Mello Trophy. In a move to ensure the legacy of the Pataudi family continues to be honored, a new "Pataudi Medal" will be awarded to the winning captain of each series. This addition was championed by Sachin Tendulkar himself, who made personal calls to ensure the Pataudi name remained connected to the series in recognition of the family's deep ties to both English and Indian cricket.
The decision to name the trophy after Tendulkar and Anderson is a tribute to their extraordinary longevity and monumental contributions to Test cricket. They are the most-capped players for their respective nations, with Tendulkar having played 200 Tests and Anderson 188. Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in Test history with 15,921 runs, while Anderson's 704 wickets are the most by any fast bowler and place him third on the all-time list.
"It’s a proud moment for me and my family to have this iconic series named after Sachin and myself," Anderson said in a statement. "The rivalry between our two nations has always been something special." He described the honor as a recognition of a contest filled with history and intensity, setting the stage for the next compelling chapter between two of the world's best Test sides.
