Tiger tributes

Published : Oct 06, 2011 00:00 IST

RAMESH SHARMA
RAMESH SHARMA
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RAMESH SHARMA

He was a contemporary of my cousin Javed Burki, and what I heard from my cousins, and from his contemporaries, was that had he not lost his eye apparently, he was a genius of great proportions. Anyone who knows batting, knows that it's difficult to play with one eye, specially [to play] fast bowling. What he achieved with one eye, the sort of ability he had, what sort of a player he could have become...

— Imran Khan

He was a legend for us and we have never seen him play. He was a romantic figure, an absolute legend. I have always heard stories of Tiger, how he changed Indian cricket. He had a huge impact beyond his sheer performance on the cricket field.

— Rahul Dravid

It is a great personal loss, he was a very dear personal friend, he was my first captain, I learnt a lot from him. We won't find the likes of him in a long, long time.

— Bishan Singh Bedi

It is a big shock for me. A great captain, always attacking and aggressive.. never defensive at any stage. He always focused on trying to win the match and would go all out to win.

— Bhagwat Chandrasekhar

Tiger Pataudi was my first captain. When I played my first Test in 1969, he was not just a Nawab, royalty, but also already a superstar. When I walked out one morning to have breakfast at the CCI (Cricket Club of India) where the Indian players lived during a Mumbai Test, he invited me over to share a table with him and I'll never forget that.

— Chetan Chauhan

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was a man of exceptional talent who turned out to be an inspiration to millions of cricketers, not only in India but across the globe.

— ICC president Sharad Pawar

I am shocked to hear the news of Tiger Pataudi's demise. He was an exemplary individual, who guided Indian cricket to unprecedented heights, as batsman, fielder and captain.

— BCCI president N. Srinivasan

I am extremely saddened hearing the news about Pataudi passing away. I had known him personally and even met him a few times. There was lot of class and dignity about the man.

— Sourav Ganguly

It's a terrible loss to the cricketing world. I had the privilege of meeting him on a few occasions. World cricket will miss a hero like him. I really respected him.

— Sachin Tendulkar

It is a great loss for Indian cricket. He is one fellow, so stylish and aggressive. He was very friendly and a fun loving person, he had very subtle and good sense of humour.

— Kris Srikkanth

It's very sad. He was the greatest captain and a great batsman. He supported me when Madhav Mantri proposed my name to be in the Indian team against the West Indies (led by Garfield Sobers). He trusted me. We became good friends.

— Ajit Wadekar

Pataudi was a great ambassador of Indian cricket and was a very genuine cricket lover; his death will leave a great void for the family and for the cricket world.

— Shahryar Khan, former PCB President and Pataudi's cousin.

I knew him very closely since past eight years when we worked for players' association. He readily agreed to be the President of players' association. He was one of the most gentle persons I ever met. He was the role model for the players' association and used to drive us forward and give fresh ideas.

— Anil Kumble

Once I was dropped from the Indian team in Kolkata and the first call came from Nawab Pataudi. He told me not to lose heart and keep fighting. I still cherish that moment.

— Kapil Dev

Tiger made an immediate impression when he came to Oxford — he was always a wonderful batsman, but before his accident he was simply amazing. He was also the most exciting cover fielder, extraordinarily quick on his feet. He was a true character.

— Charles Fry, a past President of MCC, played under Pataudi at Oxford University, and was Chairman of the Club when it commissioned The Pataudi Trophy.

I first met ‘The Tiger' as he was known, at Oxford nearly 50 years ago, and he always displayed the quiet dignity of a genuine aristocrat. I shall not forget his cover drive or leg glance, or my envy at how many beautiful women could not take their eyes off him. He will be sadly missed, on and off the pitch.

— Fiction writer Jeffrey Archer on his blog

I remember having played my first Test under Tiger's captaincy. He was a fantastic man and a great cricketer. He was a real person to look up to when he was playing cricket in the 60s and 70s.

— Mohinder Amarnath

I can never forget the festival match we played with patches on one eye. It was Pataudi's concept — he wanted to show us what it felt like to play cricket with one eye. We were dropping catches, and couldn't score any runs with the bat. It proved that Pataudi, with just one eye, could do such great things on the field. Imagine what he could have done with two eyes? I am devastated. He was an extremely dear friend. I have lost a friend... I have lost my captain.

— Farokh Engineer

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