The official launch of the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy, the new name for the England–India Test series award, was reportedly postponed out of respect for the victims of the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash.
Originally scheduled for June 14 at Lord’s, on the sidelines of the World Test Championship Final, the ceremony was quietly called off by the ECB and BCCI. This decision reflects deep sensitivity to the national mourning in India following the devastating Air India crash near Ahmedabad, which claimed the lives of over 275 people.
The Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy replaces the Pataudi Trophy and will mark the beginning of a refreshed era in India–England Test cricket. However, the exact date for its unveiling remains flexible as both boards seek an appropriate time to honour the memory of those lost.
Video: Rishabh Pant's Massive Hit Leaves A Hole On Stadium's Roof During Practice Session Ahead Of ENG vs IND 1st Test
Team India keeper-batter and vice-captain Rishabh Pant left the hole on the stadium's roof with a massive hit during a practice session in a ground of England ahead of the high-voltage five-Test series. In a video shared by ESPN Cricinfo, a massive hole was left on the roof of the stadium.
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the format, Pant will be one of the batters to watch out for, needing to do the heavy lifting with the bat. The left-handed batter has a decent record in England in Tests, aggregating 556 runs in six matches at 32.71 with a best of 146 in 2022 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Meanwhile, Pant will don the dual role of being a keeper-batter and vice-captain ahead of India's five-Test tour of England, beginning on June 20 in Headingley. The left-handed batter is coming off a world of struggles in IPL 2025 as he managed only 269 runs in 14 matches at 24.48 but finished his campaign with a ton. Although he also struggled during the Australia tour earlier this year, Pant's overall numbers in Test are sensational.
India’s squad for England tour: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
