Former India captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was born on this day in 1941. His legacy has been defined not just in a player’s capacity but as a leader as well. Tiger Pataudi, as he was famously known, was a fighter who overcame a lot of hurdles in his personal life to become a cricketing great for India and one of the first cricketers to be looked upon after the independence.
Tiger Pataudi made his debut in international cricket in 1961 when he played his first Test match against England in Delhi. He was a young player who had drawn attention by playing a lot of his cricket in England and made plenty of runs there to make his way into the Indian team.
Pataudi played 46 test matches for India in almost over a decade of international career where he scored 2793 runs at an average of 34.91. His first-class career was also very long and he played 310 matches amassing more than 15 thousand runs at an average of 33.67. In his first-class career, he smashed 33 centuries along with 75 half-centuries which included an unbeaten double century that he scored against England in 1964.
Tiger Pataudi – A Born Leader
More than the stats and his batting capabilities, Tiger Pataudi’s leadership skills are revered and are still remembered in a reverential tone. He is the youngest Indian captain ever and was appointed as the captain of the side when he was just 21. MAK Pataudi played 46 test matches for India and he captained the team in 40 of them.
He is known as a leader who instilled belief in the team and a sense of pride in playing for the nation. India was a young nation back then that had just broken the shackles of slavery and a young captain united a team to represent an exuberant nation. Tiger Pataudi is one of the central figures in the evolution of Indian cricket and his invaluable contributions will continue to inspire generations of budding cricketers in India. .
Also read: Man who hit first T20I century for England, Alex Hales was born in 1989