Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar is not pleased with the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) decision to retire the Pataudi Trophy. For the uninitiated, this trophy is handed out to the winner of the bilateral Test series between India and England in England. The latest move is expected to come into effect ahead of the upcoming five-Test series between India and England in June-July.
The ECB has already contacted Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, the son of the late Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, a former India captain, to inform the family about their decision.
The Pataudi Trophy was awarded for the first time in 2007 to celebrate 75 years of bilateral cricket relations between India and England. Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, a former India captain, played 46 Tests for the country, scoring 2,793 runs at an average of 34.91.
Gavaskar minced no words as he lambasted the ECB for deciding to retire the Pataudi Trophy. He also urged Indian cricketers to decline ECB's request to have their names in place of Tiger Pataudi if they are contacted.
"The recent news that the ECB is going to retire the Pataudi Trophy, given to the winners of the Test series between England and India in England, is disturbing indeed. This is the first time one has heard of a trophy named after individual players being retired, though the decision is entirely the ECB’s, and the BCCI may well have been informed," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
"It shows a total lack of sensitivity to the contribution made by the Pataudis to cricket in both England and India. There may well be a new trophy named after more recent players, and here’s hoping that if an Indian player has been approached, he will have the good sense to politely decline — not only out of respect for two former India captains but also to avoid the same fate of having a trophy named after him retired after he is gone," he added.
'ECB fully entitled'
{{/usCountry}}"It shows a total lack of sensitivity to the contribution made by the Pataudis to cricket in both England and India. There may well be a new trophy named after more recent players, and here’s hoping that if an Indian player has been approached, he will have the good sense to politely decline — not only out of respect for two former India captains but also to avoid the same fate of having a trophy named after him retired after he is gone," he added.
'ECB fully entitled'
{{/usCountry}}Sunil Gavaskar believes the ECB is well within its rights to rename the trophy after someone else. However, he does not like the decision to remove Tiger Pataudi's name.
"The ECB is fully entitled to name the trophy after one of their own players, but I, along with loads of Indian cricket supporters, fervently hope that any other Indian cricketer will have the smarts to decline, lest history repeats itself as it has with the Pataudi Trophy," said Gavaskar.
Bollywood actor Sharmila Tagore also criticised the move to retire the Pataudi Trophy earlier. Speaking to Hindustan Times, she said, "I haven't heard from them, but the ECB has sent a letter to Saif that they are retiring the trophy."
"If the BCCI wants to or does not want to remember Tiger's legacy, it is for them to decide," she added.
The five-match Test series between India and England will begin on June 20 in Leeds. The remaining four matches will be played at Birmingham, Lord's, Manchester and The Oval. The last Test of the series will begin on July 31.