Flashback: Only Test player to represent both England and India

To date, a total of 17 cricketers have represented two countries in the Test format. This includes many players featuring for both Australia and England in the Whites. But the late Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi is the only man to appear for both India and England in his career which spanned 14 years.

The Nawab of Pataudi, Iftikhar first played for the English side when he made his debut against arch-rivals Australia in Sydney in December 1932. He then featured for England in 1934 against the same opposition in Nottingham.

Talking about the Sydney Test, part of the Ashes, the right-handed batter smashed 102 off 380 with the help of six fours in the first innings as England went on to win the encounter by a margin of ten wickets. He played three Tests for England and managed to amass 144 runs.

In five innings, he averaged 28.80 with one century and the highest score of 102. That was not the end of his international career as Pataudi was named India’s captain for the country’s tour to England in 1936 but he had to withdraw due to fitness issues. Ten years later, he finally got a chance to play and skipper India.

In 1946, he played and donned the captaincy hat for India against England at the home of cricket, Lord’s. Pataudi also played three games for India and scored just 55 runs in five innings at an average of 11.00 with the best score of 22. Under the stewardship of Pataudi, India lost one match and drew three.

Born on March 16, 1910, the Nawab of Pataudi Senior also appeared in 127 first-class matches. He mustered 8750 runs in 204 innings at an average of 48.61 and smashed 29 centuries and 34 half-centuries with the highest score of 238*. On January 5, 1952, he took his last breath and he died aged 41y 295d in New Delhi.