This is a very interesting point, and it's a common misconception that seems to stem from a misunderstanding of his famous nickname and the nature of his injury.
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's eye was not replaced by a tiger's eye, either the gemstone or a literal tiger's eye.
Here's the factual clarification:
* The Injury: As mentioned before, Pataudi's right eye was permanently damaged in a car accident in 1961. A shard of glass from the shattered windscreen caused the injury.
* The Surgery: He underwent a corrective surgery to save the eye, but his vision in it was practically gone. The surgeon stitched up the pupil, and he was left with double vision, which he managed by pulling his cap down over his right eye while batting. He did not receive a prosthetic eye.
* The Nickname: His famous nickname, "Tiger," was given to him long before the eye injury. It was a tribute to his fierce and powerful style of play, not a reference to his eye. He earned the nickname as a young, fearless cricketer.
* The Misconception: The combination of his nickname ("Tiger"), his eye injury, and the existence of the "Tiger's Eye" gemstone seems to have led to this myth. People connect the name with the injury and imagine a literal or symbolic replacement.
* Eye Donation: A testament to his humanity and the fact that he lived with a damaged eye is that before his death in 2011, he expressed a wish to donate his one good eye (his left eye) to help someone else see. His wish was carried out, and his left eye was donated.
The story of "Tiger" Pataudi's damaged eye is one of extraordinary determination and resilience, playing at the highest level of cricket despite a severe disability. It's a real-life tale of overcoming adversity, far more powerful than any fictional replacement.
