New Delhi [India], February 10 (ANI): Former left-arm spinner Monty Panesar on Wednesday suggested that the series between India-England should be named after legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar and Alastair Cook.
Cook is the leading runs scorer for England in the longest format of the game while former cricketer Tendulkar has scored the most runs in Test overall.
Panesar feels since both the batsmen have scored the highest Test runs for their respective teams the series between India and England should be called as “Tendulkar Cook trophy”.
“Eng v India test series should be called “Tendulkar Cook trophy ” because both have highest test runs for their countries, they played a lot against each other and we know Tendulkar is the biggest legend and we dont have a series named after him. @englandcricket @BCCI #INDvENG,” Panesar tweeted.
One of the Twitter users suggested that the series can also be named after Panesar and Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh. But the former England spinner in a jovial manner said it isn’t possible as he doesn’t have 300 wickets in the longest format of the game.
England defeated India by 227 runs in the first Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday. James Anderson produced three of the best possible deliveries to dismiss Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rishabh Pant.
England’s winning start against India in their ICC World Test Championship series has kept alive the visiting side’s hopes of making the final of the nine-team competition.
The victory at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday lifted England to first place and 70.2 percentage points on the points table and they’ve improved their chances of securing one of the three series results in their favour that could see them through to the final – 3-1, 3-0 or 4-0.
New Zealand has already qualified for the final winning 70.0 per cent of their matches (with no other series scheduled) while India and Australia remain in contention for the other place along with England.
India, who have slipped to the fourth position with 68.3 percentage points, cannot afford another loss in the four-match series and will be looking to win at least two of the remaining three matches to secure a 2-1 or 3-1 result and a place in the final.
Australia will get to feature in a Trans-Tasman summit clash if the India-England series is drawn or if England win 1-0, 2-1 or 2-0. (ANI)