Sunil Gavaskar, who delivered the inaugural Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi Memorial Lecture here on Wednesday, said the modern game could do with the sense of fun “Tiger brought to cricket”.
Gavaskar credited Pataudi with liberating Indian cricket, saying his adventurous style of play, his charisma, and his fondness for a practical joke changed how the game was played and perceived in the country.
“Indian cricket was more about maintaining the status quo rather than making things happen,” said Gavaskar.
“Caution was the watchword before Tiger came and changed the outlook completely. India was a team that used to get run over by nearly every other team.
“Tiger gave us that confidence to win. You could never take your eyes off him, he had that magnetism.”
Gavaskar then touched on Pataudi’s sense of humour. “He was a prankster,” said Gavaskar.
“It was something you didn’t expect from a man of royal lineage. That aspect of fun he brought into the game as well. We can do with more of that in the modern game.
“Cricket is in a very happy place … there are probably more millionaires playing now. It would be fantastic if we could have a little of that fun element.”
Wishing the Indian and Australian cricketers in the audience the best of luck, Gavaskar asked them to introduce a smile or two to what was sure to be a hard-fought series.
“Just like Tiger did, let there be a little of the fun aspect, a bit of a smile … when a batsman scores a 50 or a bowler takes a wicket.”
Addressing the state of the modern game, Gavaskar said,
“This is what Tiger said as well, we tinker too much with it. The success of football, golf is because the rules are very simple.
“It’s something the administrators need to look at.” He said Test cricket remained the pinnacle of the sport, and called for pitches with better balance “that allow the best to be tested against the best.”
The lecture, which is set to become an annual fixture, was streamed live on bcci.tv
M. A. K. Pataudi belonged to a cadre of players known for stylish and elegant batting and
electrically charged fielding. Ajit Wadekar, Eknath Solkar, and Ramnath Parkar belonged to
the same league. After Nawab, Ramnath proved to be a swift fielder in the covers. The last
Test match series under the captaincy of Pataudi against West Indies proved to be exciting.
On the penultimate day Gavaskar got out at 85 after tea after hitting four fours in an over
against the spin bowling of Barrett. The fate of the first Test match played at Wankhede
Stadium was decided right then. Pataudi was gracious in defeat and calm during victory.
His career in Ranji for Hyderabad and in Duleep for South Zone was also stellar. Gavaskar
was lucky to play cricket under the captaincies of Pataudi and Wadekar both. The decade of
1970s proved to be exciting for players and spectators alike.
Long live the memory of Tiger Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.
Last time we saw any sportsmanship on the field is a West Indies not attempting
make a runout of the Pakistani player (runner) at the bowlers end when the runner
was way out of the crease. Now a days no player acknowledges the other sides'
players who might have scored a century or take more than 5 wickets in an innings.
They just walk into their pavilions. I remember seeing if a player scores century in an
session of the day other side used to wait the century maker or the wickets taker to
lead them into the pavilion. Good old cricketing days.
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