Dropping the Pilot

Sushant Singh on the erasure of history

In 1980, Jeffrey Archer, the British writer, penned the short story ‘The Century’ about a gifted Indian-origin Oxford cricketer striving to match his father’s century at Lord’s. The description of the batsman mirrors the former Indian captain, Mansoor Ali Khan "Tiger" Pataudi’s elegance and resolve. Through setbacks and eventual triumph, Archer, Pataudi’s Oxford contemporary, captures both the burden and inspiration of legacy, while subtly celebrating Pataudi’s charisma and the spirit of sportsmanship that defined his career. Archer altered minor details such as adding a left-arm spin ability and the county affiliation. But by calling his character "the most charismatic cricketer of his generation", he made the likeness clear.

Tiger Pataudi’s cricketing career would have been celebrated anyway, but do consider that he played most of his career with limited vision in his right eye after a 1961 car accident. Despite this, he scored 2,793 Test runs at an average of 34.91, including India's first double-century against England (203* at Delhi, 1964). His 148 at Headingley in 1967 showcased his brilliance, while commentators like John Arlott called him the "best fielder in the world". Geoffrey Boycott once doubted his disability, prompting Pataudi’s retort: "I was bloody good with two eyes. I’m just good with one". His resilience inspired generations, with former Indian batsman Vijay Merchant noting his contributions deserved "25 extra runs per innings".