DOWN MEMORY LANE ... 1

DOWN MEMORY LANE ... 1

I have seen Tiger Pataudi smash 17 runs (four boundaries) in one over of Vanburn Holder with a bandaged broken jaw. It was the third Test Match of 1974-75 between West Indies and India being played at the Eden Gardens. In the pre-lunch session around 11 'O clock Tiger was hit by a sharply rising delivery of Andy Roberts and retired hurt only to return at the fall of a wicket in the post-tea session. Clive Lloyd, the Wedt Indian skipper promptly put the ball in paceman Vanburn Holder's palm whereupon Pataudi unleashed an array of scintillating strokes to smash four consecutive boundaries. Eden Gardens erupted as the Indian skipper was all wrapped up in bandage round his jaw even as he taught the Windies pacemen a lesson in batsmanship. It was an unforgettable moment and I recall it clearly after 48 years, myself 13 years and 6 months old then. Just remember Pataudi played his cricket with one eye and with a broken jaw this day. After scoring a quick-fire 36 he got out but he had made his point as to who was the boss in that brief hour of memorable strokeplay. India went on to win the Test Match with Chandrasekhar beguiling the formidable West Indian batting lineup under the astute leadership of Tiger whose bold move to open attack on the fifth and final day of the Test Match with Chandra, a rather risky gamble with Kallicharan and Lloyd poised to take the game away at 163/3, paid off as Chandra removed both the batsmen fast to put India in the driver's seat. This was the only time I had witnessed Tiger Pataudi bat, and bat he did at his vintage best. A glorious memory of those golden days of Test Match cricket which I so miss now in these days of hype and hoopla and the associated crass commerce centring the gentleman's game.

Written by Sugata Bose