‘Sobers was everything we dream of becoming’

Sir Garfield Sobers was the greatest cricketer to have walked the earth and “everything we dream of becoming when we first pick up a bat or a ball as a kid”, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said.

Widely regarded as the finest all-rounder in cricket history, Sobers passed away at his home in Barbados on Friday, just 11 days short of his 90th birthday.

Across 93 Tests for the West Indies, he redefined the limits of the sport with his brilliance as a batter, bowler and fielder.

“This is probably the saddest day for the game of cricket. The greatest cricketer to walk the earth has left us. No words can ever do justice to Sir Garfield Sobers, the cricketer.

“He was everything we dream of becoming when we pick up the bat or the ball as kids,” Gavaskar said.

“Memories keep flooding back and that’s what I will hold close to my heart forever. Rest in peace, Sir Garfield. You will stay eternally in our hearts,” he added.

Another all-time great, Sachin Tendulkar, fondly recalled the time he spent with Sobers.

“It’s incredibly tough to process that Sir Garry is gone. I’ve been looking back at the memories we shared over the years, from him handing me the Player of the Tournament trophy at the 2003 World Cup, to his warm words when he felicitated me for the century milestone. He was always so exceptionally gracious.

“My mind keeps going back to when we caught up in London a few years ago. We were just sitting and chatting about the game, and it hits me so hard right now that it was the last time we’d ever meet. He truly was the ‘One and Only’. Going to miss him immensely. Rest in peace, Sir Garry,” wrote Tendulkar on X.

A destructive left-handed batter, Sobers could bowl left-arm fast-medium, orthodox spin and wrist spin with equal effectiveness. He was also an exceptional fielder and among the finest close catchers the game has produced.

Another former India captain, Virat Kohli, a two-time recipient of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year, also paid tribute to the West Indies great.