Many Asian cricketers have played for Sussex over the years, from Ranjitsinhji to Imran Khan.
The Nawab of Pataudi might have been the greatest of them all had it not been for a car accident in Hove when he was only 20. Pataudi, whose father was also a brilliant batsman, was captain of Oxford University team in 1961 and was close to overtaking the old man’s record of 1,307 runs in the season.
But on July 1 that year he went out for a meal in Hove after the first day of a match against Sussex with his team mate Robin Waters.
They were in a Mini Minor, driven by Waters, in Grand Avenue near the Queen Victoria statue when a Humber Super Snipe appeared from nowhere right across their path.
The Humber, a far heavier car, crashed into the Mini and people nearby thought Waters had been seriously hurt.
Pataudi was taken out of the car and was left by the statue while his friend received medical attention.
The aid should have been directed at him, for a shard of glass had entered his right eye, causing irreparable damage.
Normally when this kind of accident happens to sportsmen it signals the end of their career, as in the cases of England batsman Colin Milburn and international goalkeeper Gordon Banks.
But Pataudi was made of sterner stuff and was determined to play again. Even though he had double vision, he made 70 that November in India for a match against the MCC.
Pataudi then made his Test debut against England in Delhi. He scored a century in Madras in the final Test, which helped give India a rare series win.
He scored a total of six centuries for his country and became an outstanding fielder at cover despite his handicap.
Pataudi was made captain of India, who were then a team aiming at not losing rather than winning.
He changed that and led India to their first ever series win away in 1967 against New Zealand.
Although India won only nine of 40 Tests under his captaincy, this was better than they had done before.
Pataudi made great use of spinners, knowing there was a dearth of good pacemen. He listened to his senior players and was well liked.
He became a Sussex player in the 1960s and was made captain in 1966 but Wisden said he was not suited to the demands of county cricket.
Pataudi was a great socialite and once on the first day of a county match, he rang to say he was in Paris.
Born in Bhopal, he grew up in a palace in Pataudi, about 40 miles from Delhi. As a child he had eight personal servants .
His father, a gifted sportsman who also played Test cricket, died during a polo match on Pataudi’s 11th birthday. Weeks later he was sent to a prep school in England.
His talent was spotted when he was at Winchester College by cricket master Hubert Doggart who had played for Sussex, and he broke many school records before doing the same at Oxford.
Always known as Tiger, he married a Bollywood star and led a varied life including spells in journalism and politics.
In 2007 the Pataudi trophy was inaugurated for Test series between England and India. Only weeks before his death, Pataudi presented it at the Oval to Andrew Strauss.
Although the car accident blighted his life, Pataudi told Robin Waters much later, “I have never, ever blamed you for what happened.”
