M.A.K. Pataudi, who was 70 when he passed away in a New Delhi hospital on Thursday evening after suffering complications in his lungs, was one of Indian cricket's great stylists. Having lost most of the vision in his right eye in a car accident, he adapted to become a fearless batsman against pace bowling in home as away Tests.
India's and world cricket's youngest Test captain, who was forced to lead in an emergency in the Caribbean in 1962 when Nari Contractor was felled by a bouncer, was a visionary who helped young Indian cricketers gain the confidence to face up to foreign teams.

Pataudi was one of the pioneers of Indian cricket. Knowing he could not achieve greatness with his vision handicap, he egged colleagues on to achieve for their country. His innings under pressure were some of his finest, like some battling ones he played in Australia in 1967-68 when they waxed eloquent about him, taking on the quicks with one eye and on one leg.

A flamboyant cricketer who was the finest fieldsman of his time, Tiger Pataudi was a bit of an enigma off the field. Educated in England, he was not from the same social strata as many of the players he led. But as captain he would do everything for his team abroad since many of his players were first-time tourists. But in India he would be withdrawn, going out with only close buddies who came to be known as Indian cricket's “silk shirt gang“.