Tiger Pataudi, one of India's finest captains!

[zen]

Tiger Pataudi is a rare cricketer for two key reasons:

 

• Played with an eye: In 1961, he met with an accident when traveling in England, losing his right eye. 
• Captained India in 87% of the games that he played in: Tiger was appointed as the captain of India at the age of 21. Went on to captain India in 40 tests of the 46 that he played in 

 

Highlights of his career (playing with an eye):

• Captain of India's first overseas test series win in NZ in 1968
• Averaged 57 in Aus w/ 4 50s in 6 innings
• Averaged 45 in Eng w/ 1 100 and 1 50 in 6 innings
• Played 33 tests in India, where he hit 5 100s including a 203*. His average was 34 in India 
• Known to be a superb fielder as well 
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1968

 

Talking about his accident, he was a passenger of the car which met with an accident in July 1961. Glass from the windscreen entered his eyes. His right eye was damaged, but his left eye was saved. It was believed that his aspirations to play test cricket were done and dusted, but he learned how to play with an eye and made his test debut for India in December 1961, only a few months later after his accident, then lead India at the age of 21. 

 

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi is aptly known as Tiger Pataudi. His is a great story of courage and resilience, overcoming a life changing obstacle to become one of the finest cricketers and leaders. 

 

I rate three Indian captains highly: 

• Tiger for his courage and resilience, along with bringing in style and glamor to cricket 
• Ganguly for his passion and fighting qualities 
• Dhoni for his communication skills and streetsmartness 

 

 

Considering his batting and fielding performances with an eye, and captaincy charisma, I would be tempted to find a slot for the Tiger as the Indian captain in an AT Indian Test 11 at #5!

 

 

Tiger!

 

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by zen

[zen]

Naseeruddin talks about Tiger

Edited January 16, 2022 by zen

[Vijy]

4 hours ago, zen said:

Tiger Pataudi is a rare cricketer for two key reasons:

 

• Played with an eye: In 1961, he met with an accident when traveling in England, losing his right eye. 
• Captained India in 87% of the games that he played in: Tiger was appointed as the captain of India at the age of 21. Went on to captain India in 40 tests of the 46 that he played in 

 

Highlights of his career (playing with an eye):

• Captain of India's first overseas test series win in NZ in 1968
• Averaged 57 in Aus w/ 4 50s in 6 innings
• Averaged 45 in Eng w/ 1 100 and 1 50 in 6 innings
• Played 33 tests in India, where he hit 5 100s including a 203*. His average was 34 in India 
• Known to be a superb fielder as well 
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1968

 

Talking about his accident, he was a passenger of the car which met with an accident in July 1961. Glass from the windscreen entered his eyes. His right eye was damaged, but his left eye was saved. It was believed that his aspirations to play test cricket were done and dusted, but he learned how to play with an eye and made his test debut for India in December 1961, only a few months later after his accident, then lead India at the age of 21. 

 

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi is aptly known as Tiger Pataudi. His is a great story of courage and resilience, overcoming a life changing obstacle to become one of the finest cricketers and leaders. 

 

I rate three Indian captains highly: 

• Tiger for his courage and resilience, along with bringing in style and glamor to cricket 
• Ganguly for his passion and fighting qualities 
• Dhoni for his communication skills and streetsmartness 

 

 

Considering his batting and fielding performances with an eye, and captaincy charisma, I would be tempted to find a slot for the Tiger as the Indian captain in an AT Indian Test 11 at #5!

 

 

Tiger!

 

 

yes, Tiger was a great captain. Also an erudite human being. With that said, I'd not have in an All-time XI; players in such teams should be selected first as players and then as captains.

[zen]

26 minutes ago, Vijy said:

yes, Tiger was a great captain. Also an erudite human being. With that said, I'd not have in an All-time XI; players in such teams should be selected first as players and then as captains.

In a “hypothetical” AT 11, players being considered would all be good enough to be in it. It is great to have options when you have a variety of great playerrs, including many specializing in certain departments. 

 

Someone like Tiger is an ATG captain. He can be a great face of the team (said to have sowed seeds of self confidence and positive captaincy that resulted in series wins in NZ under him, and the team he built later won in WI and Eng too).

 

The more I think about Tiger, the more he looks like the missing piece that can make an 11 interesting. He  may enter my list as one of the 5 automatic picks: 

 

* Gavaskar &  Sehwag - opening 

* Mankad - versatile spin bowling AR. Can open too with Gavaskar pushed to #3 like you suggested 

* Tiger - captaincy and stroke play 

* Chandra - Leg/mystery spinner 

 

 For the remaining spots, there are multiple options. 

 

 

 

[Vijy]

Just now, zen said:

In a “hypothetical” AT 11, players being considered would all be good enough to be in it. It is great to have options when you have a variety of great playerrs, including many specializing in certain departments. 

 

Someone like Tiger is an ATG captain. He can be a great face of the team (said to have sowed seeds of self confidence and positive captaincy that resulted in series wins in NZ under him, and the team he built later won in WI and Eng too).

 

The more I think about Tiger, the more he looks like the missing piece that can make an 11 interesting. He  may enter my list as one of the 5 automatic picks: 

 

* Gavaskar &  Sehwag - opening 

* Mankad - versatile spin bowling AR. Can open too with Gavaskar pushed to #3 like you suggested 

* Tiger - captaincy and stroke play 

* Chandra - Leg/mystery spinner 

 

 For the remaining spots, there are multiple options. 

 

 

 

Have tiger as coach or manager. both are important roles. he can motivate people that way too. Now that I think about it, he would be my manager for my all-time XI.

[zen]

7 minutes ago, Vijy said:

Have tiger as coach or manager. both are important roles. he can motivate people that way too. Now that I think about it, he would be my manager for my all-time XI.

Manager is good too … However, now that I am thinking about Tiger, I may have convinced  myself on the need for a charismatic captain … Before there was Imran Khan, there was Tiger, the original charismatic captain! … Even the name Tiger sounds cool for the captain!!

 

I saw a clip where he was asked can India win (since it did not win much in those days) and he replied confidently - “yeah, given the right conditions, it can win.” (And then you have this 4 prong spin attack) 
 

 

[zen]

 

 

 

[zen]

I like to listen to I Chappell: 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2022 by zen

[urbestfriend]

Tiger may be great captain of the era with all his charisma with nawab title, but he is nowhere close to World XI purely going by the statistics. If we dont consider the romanticism of good english speaking, gentleman like, foreign educated good looking charismatic cricketer and consider only his cricketing ability, he doesnt deserve to be in AT XI as captain. Dhoni or Kohli will be captain of my team in AT XI.

[zen]

One of the incidences that I Chappell narrated - on the tour to Aus, Tiger had hamstring. However, because Ind’s batting was in disarray, he decided to play. The conditions were bowler friendly at Melbourne. Tiger was limited not only by his vision but also the hamstring (not fully recovered). On top of that India was 25 for 5 or something. A struggling Tiger blasted 75 in the first inning and  backed it up with a 85 in the 2nd. After that he was also referred to as Nawab of Melbourne. 
 

If we look at various AT11s, Ind’s will struggle to be in the top 5.  Aus, WI, SA, NZ (a Hadlee-Bond led attack), etc.,are very competitive. Then there are Eng and Pak too. Many of these teams also have a distinct character. 
 

To me someone like Tiger adds “character” to the team! 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by zen

[mishra]

Don’t know much about him apart from hearing some stories. Never seen him bat. But he must be great leader if he was captaining the side at 21

[Vijy]

21 minutes ago, mishra said:

Don’t know much about him apart from hearing some stories. Never seen him bat. But he must be great leader if he was captaining the side at 21

he was identified as a potential leader when he was a teenager, boarding school in england.

[zen]

18 minutes ago, mishra said:

Don’t know much about him apart from hearing some stories. Never seen him bat. But he must be great leader if he was captaining the side at 21

 

I am also in the process of learning more about him as usually players of Tiger's generation are not on the top of the mind recall ...  He is said to have forged the belief to win, was a relatively attacking captain, stressed the importance of fielding, and the work he did translated into overseas wins in NZ in 1967/8, along with the team winning in WI and Eng in early 70s under Wadekar (Tiger's faltering eyesight meant that his performances were not consistent so he was left out of the team in the early 70s) ... Tiger appears like a captain from today who traveled back in time to the 60s 

 

Just close one of your eyes and hold the bat in your hand, or try to catch a ball with a closed eye, and that will tell you what Tiger battled every day on the cricket field ... That adds more weightage to his batting stats 

[Vijy]

12 minutes ago, zen said:

 

I am also in the process of learning more about him as usually players of Tiger's generation are not on the top of the mind recall ...  He is said to have forged the belief to win, was a relatively attacking captain, stressed the importance of fielding, and the work he did translated into overseas wins in NZ in 1967/8, along with the team winning in WI and Eng in early 70s under Wadekar (Tiger's faltering eyesight meant that his performances were not consistent so he was left out of the team in the early 70s) ... Tiger appears like a captain from today who traveled back in time to the 60s 

 

Just close one of your eyes and hold the bat in your hand, or try to catch a ball with a closed eye, and that will tell you what Tiger battled every day on the cricket field ... That adds more weightage to his batting stats 

You may like reading Pataudi- Nawab of Cricket (by Suresh menon) and some of the references therein

[zen]

1 hour ago, Vijy said:

You may like reading Pataudi- Nawab of Cricket (by Suresh menon) and some of the references therein

 

Is there a good documentary? Tiger is good to listen to as well (below probably before his last test series when he was brought back as the captain):

 

 

 

 

 

^ Bedi: Tiger, the best thing that might have happened to Indian cricket @3.52

Edited January 17, 2022 by zen

[Vijy]

1 minute ago, zen said:

 

Is there a good documentary? Tiger is good to listen to as well (below probably before his last test series when he was brought back as the captain):

 

 

 

 

 

^ Bedi: Tiger, the best thing to happen to Indian cricket @3.52

yes, he was a very capable speaker, not surprising given his education in england. I have not seen any documentaries specifically on him, but I remember there was a rather long series hosted by naseeruddin shah on Ind cricket, which had several people speaking about him.

 

edit: looks like you found it already.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Vijy

[Majestic]

Pataudi was no doubt one of the great leaders that India produced.

 

However, if I think from an all time Indian XI perspective for no 5 position, I actually think of some other name from 1940s, who is also rated very highly as a captain having won India their first ever test win, has hundreds in Australia and averages an excellent 47 in test cricket.

 

His name is Vijay Hazare. He also has 20 test wickets in his 30 test matches career.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Majestic

[zen]

1 hour ago, Majestic said:

Pataudi was no doubt one of the great leaders that India produced.

 

However, if I think from an all time Indian XI perspective for no 5 position, I actually think of some other name from 1940s, who is also rated very highly as a captain having won India their first ever test win, has hundreds in Australia and averages an excellent 47 in test cricket.

 

His name is Vijay Hazare. He also has 20 test wickets in his 30 test matches career.

 

Hazare is a great player too, however the discussion is not based on just stats (Hazare has better #s) but also on deeper impact on Indian cricket, along with USP of a cricketer ... As far as batsman who can bat at #5, besides Hazare, there are batsmen like Vishwanath, Amarnath, Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman, Kohli, etc. who can all be considered at 4-5 per their pros and cons ... and other teams would have such or even better batsmen (reducing unique qualities of the Indian AT team)

 

Therefore, the discussion is not like X has an average of 52, Y 50, and Z 48. In SENA, X is at 51, Y at 49, and Z at 47, so X it is  ... but more on the impact the cricketer made, the stature, any history making performances, challenges overcome to succeed at cricket, and the long tenure as India's best captain who added a certain type of character to Indian cricket. There is no player like Tiger in Indian cricket! 

Edited January 17, 2022 by zen

[Something]

Also - 
He was a Nawab and could have chosen a life of luxury. He chose to persevere and make a name for himself. 

[Vijy]

On 1/17/2022 at 4:13 PM, Something said:

Also - 
He was a Nawab and could have chosen a life of luxury. He chose to persevere and make a name for himself. 

He also shut up stupid British reporters when necessary: "Once he was asked by a British reporter whether he felt discriminated in India as he was a Muslim. His reply was simple and to the point as he said " i will challange anybody to say that"