Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi the last Nawab of the Village Pataudi leaves for his heavenly abode…
There is a certain rare species that do not “LEAVE” Per se...
My Memories of Tiger are etched in my childhood stories that my dad told and retold me about this great batsman and until I myself started following cricket and had the honor of following his batting while still a young lad and let me add here that it was my misfortune that by the time I became a full fledged cricket lover this Gentlemen of the game had retired.
My close encounter with this Rare Tiger was in Calcutta ( I still Hate Kolkata) at Oberoi when during 1974-1975 Test series I had a just tertiary glance at him while he was boarding his Bus to Eden Gardens.
He was one such cricketer who took cricket to a different pedestal and if today it still is called Gentlemen’s game it’s because of legacy of person like him
I would not delve here on his batting abilities and cricketing score since that is a different ball game and many of us either know it or have heard it from many sources...
What he taught the Indian team was the ART of winning, how not to fear the pace, aggression and achieved all this with JUST ONE EYE...
When Captaincy was almost thrust upon him during West Indies tour he single handedly brought the concept of “Winning “in the lexicon of Indian Cricket Team
What he brought to the table or should I say cricket ground the Management theory which says “You have to make most of the resources you have and use it as a winning combination “
He knew that India’s strength lies in its “Spinners” and what we lacked was the fiery pace attack of Australia and West Indies...The Body line concept of England was in its full throttle...
Like a Management Guru which he definitely had in his Genes he knew it is impossible to grow Good Brazilian Coffee beans in Punjab no matter how hard u tried. He knew he has to use the spinners to his advantage.
The “FEARSOME FOURSOME” Which he had in Bishen Bedi,Chandrasekhar ,Prasanna and Venkataraghvan were his weapons of Mass Destruction..Not to Belittle the Solkar who was almost indispensable at short square leg to take every ball that crossed his way no matter if the ball was even a millimeter above the ground.
He himself was an astute fielder of the Cover region.The best compliment he got then was from an English Commentator who then said that when Pataudi is fielding there is almost a CURFEW like situation in Covers..Can’t get better than this BOSS...
Chandu Borde goes on to say “As a fielder, his numbness was akin to Cheetah”s.Just when u thought the ball would cross the boundary line, he would accelerate his sprint and prevent the four before the ball reaches the rope"
Coming from a Royal Family he had no tantrums or highhandedness that is normally associated with Royalty..He was humble to the core, we have heard people wearing humility on their sleeves but here was a Gentlemen “With whom Humility was a Whole Dress Code”
His love for Music knew no bounds .His love for flute was enormous and has played It with Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, No wonder Saif is a good guitar player …it’s all there…Genes…of course..
Here I say is One Tiger that won’t require an Aircel Ad or a Government sponsored programmers to announce SAVE TIGER from being extinct…
Here is a Tiger which shall ROAR for Time Immemorial…
Here is a Tiger whose Pug Marks shall be felt on Cricketing fields and on Cricket Lovers Psyche for all times to come…
Here is a Tiger who shall be remembered for ever for his deeds both off and on the field who has nothing to do with Man-eater qualities that goes with it…
I am reminded here of Billy Joels Line (Song)
Today I am your champion,
I may have won your hearts,
But I know the game,
You will forget my name…
NO, NO NO NO… We won’t forget you MAK(Pataudi)
A Tiger of Rare Specie like yours does never Go EXTINCT….
Your Physical Absence NOTWITHSTANDING
R I P
(Intention of this piece is not to write an OBITUARY…A small fry like me wouldn’t dare to attempt even. For greatness of Pataudi can FOREVER ELUDE Obituaries, that is for sure)
