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Home » Sports » Cricket » Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s 80th Birth Anniversary: Check these 8 less known facts about the ‘one-eyed Tiger’ 

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi’s 80th Birth Anniversary: Check these 8 less known facts about the ‘one-eyed Tiger’ 

From many historic first to how he became the 'Nawab'; here are 8 less known facts about cult Indian Cricket figure Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi

By Anukul Chauhan
Updated on :
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi Indian Cricket india

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was the one-eyed tiger of the Indian Cricket team. Born on 5th January 1941, he captained the team at the young age of 21 and won many historic matches with them. Mansoor was an Arjuna Award winner of 1964 and a Padam Shri holder of 1967. His fierce and unorthodox batting style made him a problem for most of the bowlers he faced. A cult figure in Indian cricket here is some less known facts about MAK Pataudi.

MAK Pataudi less known Facts.

Education:

MAK Pataudi was educated at Minto Circle in Aligarh and Welham Boys’ School in Dehradun (Uttarakhand). He then moved to Lockers Park Prep School in Hertfordshire (where he was coached by Frank Woolley), and Winchester College. He studied Arabic and French at Balliol College, Oxford.

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi

Family:

Born in Bhopal, Mansoor Ali Khan was the son of Iftikhar Ali Khan, himself a renowned cricketer, and the Begum of Bhopal, Sajida Sultan. His grandfather, Hamidullah Khan, was the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal, and his aunt, Abida Sultan, was a princess of Bhopal. Kaikhusrau Jahan, the Begum of Bhopal, was his great-grandmother, and Shahryar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, was his first cousin.

MAK Pataudi with son Saif Ali Khan
MAK Pataudi with son Saif Ali Khan

Father

MAK’s father Iftikhar Ali Khan died while playing polo in Delhi on his eleventh birthday in 1952. His father was the eighth Nawab and was just 41 at the time. 

Nawab of Pataudi’s 

Pataudi held the title of Nawab of Pataudi by right, having succeeded his father Iftikhar Ali Khan of Pataudi from 1952 until the entitlements were abolished by the Government of India through the 26th amendment to the constitution until 1971.

Sign of Greatness

In four years at Winchester College from 1956, Pataudi captained the school team and scored a total of 2036 runs — the last 1068 runs came in his last 18 innings. In doing so, Pataudi beat the schools’ record set by Douglas Jardine.

MAK
MAK Pataudi

First-Class Debut

He made his first-class debut for Sussex in August 1957, aged 16, and also played for Oxford while he was at university and was the first Indian captain there.

One-Eyed Tiger

Despite his eye injury which happened in the car accident, 6 months before, he made his Test debut playing against England in Delhi in December 1961. He found it easiest to play with his cap pulled down over his damaged right eye. He scored 103 in the Third Test in Madras, helping India to its first series win against England.

One eyed tiger
One-eyed tiger

Youngest Skipper 

At 21 years and 77 days, he held the world record for the youngest Test captain until he was surpassed by Tatenda Taibu in May 2004.

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