A ‘Tiger' on the field and a Nawab off it, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was unarguably one of India's best captains ever and a batsman par excellence even though damaged vision didn't allow him to realise his potential statistically.
The 70-year-old cricketer, who breathed his last here this evening after battling a lung infection, led India in 40 of the 46 Tests he played and would forever be remembered for leading the country to its first Test series win abroad.
Son of Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal who captained the country in 1946, he made his debut for India at the age of 21 in a drawn match against England here in 1961.
Just a few months before his debut, Pataudi had damaged his vision in a car accident but he still managed to impress with an 103-run knock in the fifth Test of that series, ensuring selection for the tour of the West Indies.
A star not just on field but off it too, Pataudi married the then reigning queen of Indian cinema Sharmila Tagore in 1969 and the glamorous couple had three children — Saif Ali Khan, Soha Ali Khan and Saba Ali Khan.
After being dropped from the national team in 1975, Pataudi played first-class cricket for a year more before retiring. Post-retirement, Pataudi served as an ICC match referee between 1993 and 1996.