The Pataudi Trophy was introduced in 2007 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first India v England Test in 1932
India captain Rahul Dravid is being presented the Pataudi Trophy by Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi at The Oval in 2007. Pic/Getty Images
Former India top-order batter Gundappa Vishwanath, who made his debut under late India skipper Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi in 1969-70, was surprised when he learnt from mid-day that the Pataudi Trophy may not be handed over to the winner of the India-England Test series to be held in England in June-July.
The Pataudi Trophy was introduced in 2007 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first India v England Test in 1932. However, it is rumoured that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) plans to retire it.
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Gundappa Vishwanath
Vishwanath was certain the news won’t go down well with Pataudi’s wife and Bollywood actress Sharmila Tagore. “I am really surprised. Why will his name not be there? Especially when he is no more in this world? What is BCCI saying about it? I am sure Sharmila will be very, very upset with such a decision!” Viswanath, 76, said.
Viswanath, who scored 6080 runs in 91 Tests at 41.93, continued to guess the reason behind the move. “Are they [ECB] trying to rename it? Are they trying to add any English cricketer’s name? In that case, they could have added that person’s name with Tiger [Pataudi’s nickname]. I am very upset that they are scrapping Tiger’s name from the trophy. I can’t accept it,” he remarked.
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