The decision to retire the Pataudi Trophy, which was given to the victor of the bilateral Test series between England and India played in England, leaves a bitter taste. Not because such retirements don’t happen but simply because the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) must do everything in its power to preserve the legacy of the greats of yesteryear. Out of sight these days usually means out of mind too.
The call was taken by the , but the BCCI must protest. The Pataudi Trophy was first introduced in 2007 to commemorate 75 years since the first Test match between India and England in 1932. Named in honour of legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (one of India’s finest captains) and his father, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi (who played Test cricket for both England and India), the trophy symbolises the legacy of one of India’s greatest cricketing families.
While no official reason has been given for the change, it is believed that the ECB wants something more modern. For instance, The Wisden Trophy, played between England and West Indies, was retired in 2020, and the new prize was renamed the Richards-Botham trophy. But then again, the Ashes has endured the test of time and has been in existence since 1882/83. The Frank Worrell Trophy between West Indies and Australia has been in existence since 1960/61 and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia has been carving out a legacy of its own since 1996. It only shows that some things are worth preserving.
The BCCI has never cared much for the history of the game. In its Vision Statement released in 2000, it had spoken about the “establishment of a museum of cricket”. Now, 25 years later, the board is rich beyond imagination but there is still no museum. History has never been high on their priority list, but the retirement of the Pataudi Trophy is a chance to change that image. They should persuade ECB to change its mind.
{{/usCountry}}The BCCI has never cared much for the history of the game. In its Vision Statement released in 2000, it had spoken about the “establishment of a museum of cricket”. Now, 25 years later, the board is rich beyond imagination but there is still no museum. History has never been high on their priority list, but the retirement of the Pataudi Trophy is a chance to change that image. They should persuade ECB to change its mind.
{{/usCountry}}