Mumbai: Former India captain Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday said he was the first one to contact the Pataudi family to ensure that legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's legacy was preserved after learning that the India-England Test series was to be renamed the 'Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy'.

The Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy was initially set to be unveiled on June 14, but the ceremony was rescheduled following the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12.

About the renaming: The Pataudi Trophy has been renamed to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in honour of the Indian batting great, Tendulkar, and former England pacer, James Anderson. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) jointly decided to retire the Pataudi trophy. The two teams had contested the 'Pataudi Trophy' in a bilateral Test series since 2007.

Tendulkar’s statement: "The Pataudi legacy has to be kept alive. The contribution of the Pataudi family to Indian cricket inspires us all. I spoke to the family and mentioned to them that I would do all I could to keep the legacy alive," the Master Blaster told RevSportz.

Facts to remember: Despite the change, the name 'Pataudi' will remain associated with the series. The organisers have reportedly decided to introduce the Pataudi Medal of Excellence, to be awarded to the winning captain at the end of each series.

According to reports, the organizers have chosen to give the Pataudi Medal of Excellence to the victorious captain after each series.

Tendulkar clarified that during his talks with important decision-makers, he did everything in his power to guarantee that everyone agreed on the significance of maintaining the Pataudi legacy.

Tiger Pataudi played a huge role in inspiring many generations, and that should never be forgotten, Tendulkar said. “I spoke to Mr Jay Shah, the BCCI, and the ECB, and shared my ideas with them, and shared a few options. With a few phone calls with them, I felt they bought into the idea and graciously agreed [to retain Pataudi connection]. It was to support the whole thought process, which ended up in having the Pataudi Medal of Excellence for the series-winning captain. So I'm glad with this outcome," the 52-year-old, who is still the owner of the highest number of Test runs, said.

Tendulkar said he was pleased with the outcome. "I'm very happy that this kind of attention to detail was given to our discussions and eventually came up with the option of having a medal in his honour," he said.

Tendulkar expressed his sense of honor at being a part of the series. "It is truly pleasant to have our different countries' contributions to Test cricket acknowledged in this manner; it feels unique. A while back, I had heard that the Pataudi Trophy was being retired by the BCCI and ECB. Both boards decided that this entirely new prize should be named after Anderson and me,” he added.