“Completely Out Of…”: James Anderson Finally Reacts To Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Naming

England pace legend James Anderson admitted that having his name next to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar on a trophy feels “totally inappropriate,” describing it as an extraordinary privilege to be linked with “one of the greatest cricketers to ever exist.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has renamed the Test series between India and England to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, honoring the two legends of the game. In the past, the matches held in England were contested for the Pataudi Trophy, which is named after the former Indian skippers Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi and his son Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.

“It’s not necessarily just how huge it is to have a trophy named after you, but alongside Sachin Tendulkar, who for me is one of the greatest ever cricketers to have lived.

“I feel completely out of place when I see myself alongside him with the trophy. I hold him in such high regard.” Anderson told ‘Sky Sports’.

“I watched him as a kid, played against him. He’s just such an iconic cricketer who’s carried the weight of a nation on his shoulders throughout his career and past it as well. So, to share something like this with him is an incredible honour.” Both Anderson and Tendulkar are widely regarded as all-time greats. They are the most-capped players in the history of Test cricket. Tendulkar played 200 matches, and Anderson appeared in 188 Tests.

Anderson, who claimed 704 wickets in 188 Tests, faced Tendulkar on several occasions during the late 2000s.

The 42-year-old also reflected on how detached he sometimes feels from the legacy he’s created.

“It is strange that when people talk about what I have achieved in cricket, like when I hear about it as if someone’s talking about someone else if that makes sense like I don’t feel it is me who has achieved all this,” he said.

Anderson concluded his remarkable career last year, stepping back to allow for England’s upcoming fast bowlers. England is presently ahead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-1, with the fourth Test set to commence on Wednesday in Manchester.