Veteran Indian actor and son of former Indian captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Saif Ali Khan has revealed how former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott had once raised suspicion on the visual impairment of his father.
The Nawab of Pataudi is a revered name with Indian cricket - he was one of the mainstays in the side between 1961-1975, leading India in 40 Tests of the 46 he played throughout this time. He played most of his career without sight in his right eye, which he lost in a car accident in England in 1961.
"Boycott, who I really looked up to, made me really angry one day. He said, ‘I heard about your father, it’s not possible to play Test cricket with one eye.’ I asked him if he thinks my father is lying, to which he replied, ‘Yes! I think he’s making it up,” Saif said in an interview with Sportskeeda.
“I told my father that, and he got really annoyed. He said, ‘Well, I was bloody good with two eyes. I’m just good with one.’ That was the only arrogant remark I ever heard him make."
Pataudi scored 2,793 runs for India, slamming six centuries and 16 half-centuries. He also led India to their first overseas win, which came in New Zealand.
Saif further revealed that Pataudi used to believe that India played too much cricket at the time and would convey his unavailability if he didn't want to tour.
“If he didn’t want to tour, he would say he wasn’t available. He said it was a game and he was losing interest in the game in the ’60s because he thought there was too much cricket,” said the Indian actor.
