Dubai: At a time when Indian cricket and cricketers were hardly revered in international cricket, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi earned himself the nickname ‘Tiger'. Indeed he was a tiger among cricketers of that era simply because he was able to tear apart any bowling with his stylish stroke play. His mannerisms were an inspiration for thousands of young cricketers and it was he who showed that Indians too can dazzle in world cricket.

By becoming the youngest Indian captain at the age of 21, he showed what makes a great captain. As a shrewd thinker of the game, he managed to utilise the limited talent at his disposal to give a fright to all the top teams.

Everything he did had a typical style, be it as a captain or a player. As a fielder too he stood out and forced batsmen to think twice as to whether they should steal a run under his nose. The first time I had the opportunity to watch this genius in action was during a Kerala versus Hyderabad match at the University stadium in Trivandrum in the seventies. Never has any cricketer left an indelible impression on me like he did.

Overall mannerisms

His walk to the middle from the dressing room, his personality and overall mannerisms are hard to forget. A run-out that he produced in that match literally stunned the batsman. Standing in the covers, he really resembled a tiger on the prowl.

The fact that he led in 40 of the 46 Test matches he played reveals his dynamism as a leader and a player. He was a no-nonsense cricketer and ensured he got the best out of his players. Cricketers who have played under him have on many occasions recalled the charisma of Pataudi as a leader. He made sure his players got all the credit. Once when Eknath Solkar, who is the son of a groundsman, won the man of the match award, he convinced all his teammates to forgo the policy of sharing the award and let Solkar keep the TV given by the sponsors. There are numerous such instances of his nobility and sporting qualities, and he lived all his life like a king, which he would have been otherwise of the Pataudi province had it not been for the end of dynasty rule in India.

After his playing days, Pataudi was a regular at Sharjah Cricket Stadium as a commentator. His witty style of speech and ability to spot humour in most actions made his comments a treat for the ears. From his 46 Test matches, he scored 2,793 runs for an average of 34.91; but the fact that he had played with only one eye following an accident clearly reveals his enormous talent.

One of the greatest series that Indians fans will always remember under his captaincy is the 1974-75 series against the West Indies. He forced the formidable West Indies to struggle to record a 3-2 win, and in that series he played some classic knocks while facing the deadly pace of Andy Roberts, Bernard Julien and Vanburn Holder and the great spinner Lance Gibbs….all with just one eye.

In 1973, Chennai fans were fortunate to witness one of his classic knocks. He hit 73 against an attack made up of Geoff Arnold and Chris Old, the same pair that bowled out Indian team for just 42 runs in England next year. Chennai also watched his fighting knock of 59 against Australia in India's total of 163. He was an ultimate fighter, a Tiger who made every bowler shiver and all Indians proud.