The legendary Kapil Dev, on Wednesday, admitted he was surprised by the decision to rename the Pataudi Trophy into the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, calling it "strange." The call was taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who rechristened the Pataudi Trophy - awarded to the winner of the Test series hosted by England against India - as the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, in honour of the two legends of the game.
The Patudi Trophy, named in honour of the legendary Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, was instituted in 2007 as the prize for the winner of the Test series in England. The name Patudi has deep ties to the India-England cricketing landscape. Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and his son Mansur captained India and played county cricket in England.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by Three Sixty to commemorate his iconic unbeaten 175 during the 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells, Kapil reacted sharply to the decision.
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"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," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"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," he said.
{{/usCountry}}The ECB's decision faced widespread criticism, with reportedly even Sachin Tendulkar and ICC chairman Jay Shah making an attempt to convince the ECB to reverse it. However, the England board has retained the Pataudi Medal for Excellence, an individual honour introduced to preserve the legacy of the former India captain, which will be awarded to the winning captain of the series.
The series will be the dawn of a new era for Indian Test cricket. Stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirements last month, leaving the team in the hands of young Shubman Gill.
Kapil advised the 25-year-old to express himself.
"There are no expectations. Just go, play, express yourself. That's more important," Kapil said.
The five-match series will begin on June 20 in Leeds. India will be aiming to win their first Test series in England since 2007.