My father gave India confidence on the cricket field: Saif

In a tribute to his late father, Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan says that with his flamboyant leadership style, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi gave India the much needed confidence on the cricket field.

Saif's tribute came in writing in a handbook, Tribute to Tiger, issued by the Indian Journalists' Association (IJA) released at the launch of a book titles Pataudi: Nawab of Cricket at Lord's Cricket Ground.

‘It was a privilege to have him as a father. I will not talk about his international career except to say he made India proud. We were a young and developing country badly in need of confidence; and at least on the cricket field he gave this to us. He played against and sometimes beat the best in the world,’ Saif wrote in the handbook.

‘He had a kind of genuine confidence that was way beyond the superficial. He never ever lost his cool, and never raised his voice in anger. He shone in every phase of his full and colourful life. I only wish he could have enjoyed his 70s more and taught me a little more about this world in which we live!,’ Saif added in his tribute.

While Saif was unable to attend the launch, Sharmila Tagore, Soha and Saba Ali Khan were joined by former cricketer Farokh Engineer and Maharana Arvind Singh of Mewar among others from the MCC for the event.