Name:

Nawab of Pataudi Sr

Nickname:

Iftikhar Ali Khan

Date of Birth:

16 Mar 1910

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Pataudi, Punjab

Date Died:

05 Jan 1952

Career:

Test: 1932 - 1946

Teams:

India (Country)

1946 1st Test: Hardstaff scored 205 not out against India (Lords)

Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi (1910–1952), the Nawab of Pataudi Sr, was one of cricket’s most distinctive figures, notable for representing both the England cricket team and the India national cricket team in Test cricket.

Born into the princely family of Pataudi in present-day Haryana, he was educated in England at the University of Oxford, where he established himself as an outstanding batsman. Stylish and technically sound, he built a reputation as a classical right-hander who excelled particularly against fast bowling.

Pataudi’s biggest moment came during the 1932–33 Ashes series in Australia. Making his Test debut for England at Sydney, he produced a brilliant century (102) in England’s first innings. In that match, Australia scored 360 and 164, while England replied with 524 and chased the target comfortably, winning the Test by 10 wickets. His century on debut was widely praised and marked him as one of the most promising batsmen of his era.

Despite that success, he played only three Tests for England. Later, after the growth of international cricket in the subcontinent, he represented India. On the 1946 India tour of England he captained the India national cricket team in three Tests. One of the key matches at Lord’s Cricket Ground saw England score 428, while India managed 200 and 275, losing by an innings. Pataudi contributed 31 runs in the match, showing steady leadership during a challenging tour against a strong English side.

Across his Test career he played six matches, scoring 199 runs at an average of about 19, with one century (102) as his highest score. Though his international record was brief, his historical significance is immense as one of the few players to represent two countries in Tests. He was also the father of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who later became one of India’s most celebrated captains, continuing the Pataudi legacy in world cricket.