England-India Test Series to be Called the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy

The iconic India-England cricket rivalry will now be fought for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, a new name in honor of two of the game's all-time greats—James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar.

This move was agreed to by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prior to the impending World Test Championship (WTC) final.

According to ESPNCricinfo, the trophy will be officially released by Anderson and Tendulkar themselves in Lord's during the WTC final, which will start on June 11. This comes at a time when preparations are made for the beginning of the new WTC cycle, marked by a five-Test series starting June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.

James Anderson, the record wicket-taker by a fast bowler in Test cricket with 188 games, hung up his boots in July 2024. Sachin Tendulkar, one of cricket's greatest batsmen, called it a day in 2013 after 200 Tests. Both of them are true representations of consistency, brilliance, and tenacity—testaments to success in Test cricket.

Earlier, the India-England series was contested for individual trophies based on the host nation. In England, sides battled it out for the Pataudi Trophy, named after the erstwhile India captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, and in India, the series was contested for the Anthony de Mello Trophy, a tribute to a trailblazer of Indian cricket administration. The adoption of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy brings the series together under one banner to honor both countries' cricket history.

This is one of a broader trend across Test cricket to name the competition after great players and create an impression of continuity across bilateral series. For instance, in November 2024, the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy was launched for England-New Zealand Test matches, named after Martin Crowe and Graham Thorpe. In contrast, the India-Australia contest remains hotly contested for the vaunted Border-Gavaskar Trophy.