Sunil Gavaskar has criticised the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for excluding Sachin Tendulkar and James Anderson from the trophy presentation ceremony after the ENG vs IND Test series. According to Gavaskar, both legends were in England at the time and should have been part of the event.
The inaugural edition of the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy 2025 delivered on its promise, with both England and India showcasing top-quality cricket. The hard-fought series ended in a draw, earning both teams valuable points in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle.
Before the series began, the traditional Pataudi Trophy was renamed to honour Sachin Tendulkar and Anderson—an announcement that sparked mixed reactions. To preserve the Pataudi legacy, organisers introduced the Pataudi Medal. Gavaskar further suggested that this medal should have been awarded to the Player of the Series.
Sunil Gavaskar expressed disappointment that neither Sachin Tendulkar nor Jimmy Anderson were present to hand over the trophy to the captains at the conclusion of the series.
“This was the first-ever series named after two of cricket’s greatest legends — Sachin Tendulkar and Jimmy Anderson. Naturally, one would expect both to be there to present the trophy to the captains, especially since the series ended in a draw. From what I understand, both were in England at the time. So, were they simply not invited?”
Sachin Tendulkar : He also pointed out the precedent set during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, where only Allan Border was invited to present the trophy. He explained:
“Or is this similar to what happened in Australia earlier this year, when only Allan Border presented the Border-Gavaskar Trophy because Australia had won the series? Since this England series was drawn, perhaps neither was asked to attend the presentation.”
Gavaskar further noted the absence of the Pataudi family at the ceremony for the Pataudi Medal. He suggested that the medal should be awarded to the Player of the Series rather than shared between the captains. He added:
“No one from the Pataudi family was present either, even though the Pataudi Medal was meant to be presented to the winning team’s captain. Sachin Tendulkar , With the series ending in a draw, this approach seems flawed. After all, if the series is drawn, the medal can’t be awarded, right? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to give the medal to the Man of the Series instead of the captain of the winning team?
“And what if the captain himself had an ordinary series with little impact on the result? Had there been a definitive winner, awarding the Pataudi Medal to the Man of the Series would have been a tough call, because both captains performed brilliantly.”
The Test series between England and India began in Leeds with England winning by five wickets. In Edgbaston, India responded with a commanding victory by 336 runs. The third Test at Lord’s went to the Ben Stokes-led England side.
India then produced a remarkable fightback in Manchester, managing to draw the match despite being in a tough position. Finally, in the last Test at The Oval, the Shubman Gill-led Indian team secured a narrow six-run win.