Insensitivity Towards Pataudis? Sunil Gavaskar Slams BCCI Renaming England-India 2025 Tests

India vs England: The Board of Control of Cricket in India recently accepted England Cricket Board's proposal to rename the ‘Pataudi’ trophy ahead of the five-match Test series between India and England. Was this the right call, should they have rebranded the trophy? This is the question everyone is asking. Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar has given his two cents on this development. 

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Slamming the Indian board, Gavaskar said this shows lack of sensitivity towards Pataudi.

‘Disturbing indeed’

"The recent news that the ECB is going to retire the Pataudi Trophy, given to the winners of the Test series between England and India in England, is disturbing indeed. This is the first time one has heard of a trophy named after individual players being retired, though the decision is entirely the ECB’s, and the BCCI may well have been informed. It shows a total lack of sensitivity to the contribution made by the Pataudis to cricket in both England and India," Gavaskar wrote in his column in Sportstar.  

Gavaskar hoped that in the future players who have retired recently will be able to decline the offer politely if made to them. He also said that he is not bothered about and English player accepting the offer, but reckons the Indian player should not. 

Team India in Transition

Following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Team India is in a phase of transition under newly-appointed captain Shubman Gill. Without a doubt, spotlight would be on Gill to see how he fares and manages his trrops. For the unversed, India would be eyeing their first Test series victory in English soil since 2007. Also, this would be the start of a new World Test Championship cycle and both teams would love to start well. The opening Test would be played at Headingley starting June 20.