Tiger Pataudi: Quick-change artist?

Tiger Pataudi’s charisma and aura was such that his fan following went beyond the world of cricket. Among his die-hard fans was the actor Naseeruddin Shah.

Naseer got an opportunity to be on the same cricket field when playing a festival match between Gavaskar’s XI and Kapil’s XI at the Wankhede Stadium. Naseer was playing for one of the team with other actors — male and female. Tiger Pataudi was one of the umpires.

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What Naseer remember of the match is not the compliments he got from Tiger when he was bowling but a bizarre umpiring moment.  “I treasure the memory of him, the leg umpire, one-handedly stopping a blistering Sandeep Patil shot, aiming languidly at the stumps and hitting, then appealing lustily before declaring the stranded Mr Patil run-out!”

Howzatt!