Mumbai: India's upcoming five-match Test series in England, commencing on June 20, will not be contested for the Pataudi Trophy. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has communicated with Saif Ali Khan, the son of the late Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, a former captain of the Indian cricket team, regarding the retirement of the trophy. This decision to remove her husband's name has caused distress to Sharmila Tagore.

"I have not received any communication from them, but the ECB has sent a letter to Saif indicating their intention to retire the trophy," Sharmila stated to HT. "It is up to the BCCI to decide whether they wish to honor Tiger's legacy or not."

The official announcement regarding this matter is still pending. An ECB spokesperson remarked on Tuesday, "We currently have no comment on the story." Officials from the BCCI were unavailable for further remarks.

Since 2007, India's Test series in England has been played for the Pataudi Trophy, a concept proposed by the Marylebone Cricket Club to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the inaugural Test match between India and England in 1932. This initiative did not originate from either the BCCI or the ECB. Tiger Pataudi's father, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, represented both England and India in Test cricket.

Tiger Pataudi participated in 46 Tests for India from 1961 to 1975, captaining in 40 of those matches and amassing 2,793 runs at an average of 34.91. He remarkably continued his career despite losing vision in one eye due to an accident. He passed away in September 2011.

The trophy has faced challenges in its history. The Pataudi family expressed dissatisfaction over its lack of official recognition from both cricket boards. In November 2012, Sharmila reached out to then BCCI president N. Srinivasan, requesting that the trophy for home Tests against England be named in honor of her late husband. The BCCI declined, stating that the trophy for home Tests was already designated after Anthony De Mello, the BCCI's first secretary.

In response, the BCCI established the Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi Memorial Lecture in 2013, with the inaugural lecture presented by former captain Sunil Gavaskar. Other notable speakers have included Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman, and Rahul Dravid.

The practice of naming trophies infuses a historical significance into the rivalries between Test-playing nations. India and Australia have engaged in intense competition for Test supremacy, with their encounters—both at home and abroad—designated as the Allan Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The West Indies and Australia compete for the Frank Worrell Trophy, while the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy is contested between Australia and Sri Lanka. Recently, it was announced that the series between New Zealand and England will be held for the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy.

India has participated in five Test series in England for the Pataudi Trophy, specifically in 2007, 2011, 2014, 2018, and 2021-22. The latter series, affected by Covid-19, concluded in a 2-2 draw after England secured victory in the postponed Test in Birmingham.

Should the decision to retire the Pataudi Trophy be formalized, it will be interesting to see if it will be renamed in honor of the next generation of cricket legends. There have been periodic suggestions to consider the names of two distinguished all-rounders from India and England—Kapil Dev and Ian Botham—for this recognition.

Anticipation is building for the forthcoming India-England series, as it marks the beginning of a new cycle in the World Test Championship.

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