Published: Jan 06, 2015, 07:59 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 06, 2015, 07:59 PM (IST)
Whenever there is talk of Tiger Pataudi, his royal background and his general aloofness is invariable mentioned. But those who knew him well, have a different story to tell.
Abbas Ali Baig, his mate from Oxford days, reveals in the book Pataudi – Nawab of cricket: “On our long train journeys, travelling third class, and in periodic recesses, from the never-ending car sessions, his man-for-all-seasons, ‘Kishen’, would produce out of thin air a harmonium set which Tiger would proceed to play reasonable skillfully while intermittently breaking into some stranger versions of Indian dance.”
How many of the present day India cricketers — hailing from middle-class background, one must add — will agree to third class train travel for matches? Forget train travel, a few months ago senior members of the Indian team requested the BCCI to fly them Business Class, which the board agreed to. Yet, it is Pataudi who suffers from erroneous perceptions and urban legends.
