Sachin Tendulkar, Alastair Cook and Matt Prior
Former left-arm spinner Monty Panesar has suggested that the Test series between England and India should be called as 'Tendulkar-Cook' trophy as both the stalwarts have highest runs for their respective countries. While Alastair Cook is England's leading run-scorer in Tests, Sachin Tendulkar is sitting first in the list of top-scorers in the longest format of the game.
"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 don't have a series named after him," wrote Panesar in a tweet on Wednesday.
Panesar's suggestion also encouraged many users to come up with alternatives. While one fan wrote that the series should be called 'Botham-Kapil trophy', another recommended Panesar's name for the trophy. "Why not bhajji-panesar trophy?" wrote the user, referring to Panesar and India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Replying to the tweet, Panesar wrote, "Harbhajan Panesar trophy" would have worked if I had 300 plus test wickets."
Panesar, a part of England squad which defeated India at home back in 2012, has picked up 167 wickets while playing in 50 Tests. He has also represented England in 26 ODIs and a single T20I, picking up 24 and two wickets respectively.
After their comprehensive win in the first Test at the MA Chidambaram stadium, England have climbed to the top of World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Led by James Anderson's reverse swing sorcery, England bundled out India on just 192 runs in the second innings to go 1-0 up in the four-Test series.
Skipper Joe Root was adjudged Player of the Match for his record-breaking double century in the first innings. Root became the first cricketer to score a double-century in his 100th Test match. It was Root's third double-ton as the captain of the England Test team. He also went equalled Cook, who has also scored five double-centuries in the red-ball format.
The second Test will be played at the same venue -- MA Chidambaram Stadium -- and will commence from February 13.
