New Delhi: Sir Garfield Sobers was more than just a legend – he was a cricketer who changed the game and changed the way future generations played, former India captain. Kapil Dev he said while paying tribute to the West Indies great who died at the age of 89.Speaking to PTI on Saturday, Kapil described Sobers as one of the best players to have graced the game, saying his strength went beyond statistics and history.“I think everyone who knows about cricket should know about Gary Sobers. One of the best cricketers born in this world,” said Kapil. “The way he played cricket inspired people like us. It’s a sad day. He’s gone, but he’s given us so much – so much cricket and his skills and skills that we follow throughout our lives.”Sobers, regarded as the greatest player in cricket history, died on Friday at his home in Barbados, just 10 days shy of his 90th birthday.
‘We had rounders, but not at his level’
Kapil, also one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders, believes that no player has ever matched Sobers’ unique versatility.“I think, well, we had all-rounders, but not at his level. I don’t think anyone can come close to him, the way he played batting, bowling, fast bowling, spin bowling, fielding. Everything – he had skill and skill to entertain. At the end of the day, many cricketers will emerge, but very few will be true entertainers,” said Kapil.According to Kapil, Sobers’ greatest gift was not his immense talent but the joy with which he played.“I think it’s a talent, the way he enjoyed himself and the way he played. At that time, the West Indies team was undoubtedly one of the best, but he made a record and changed people’s opinion on how to play and have fun,” he said.
The man who changed the mind of cricket
Kapil recalled how Sobers challenged the coaching philosophy of his time and encouraged cricketers to think differently.“The main thing I remember is that he changed the way cricket was taught at MCC, what we call playing in the ‘V’,” he said. “I think the first thing I learned is not playing V, how to get a run. That was a big word that stuck in my mind when I was growing up.”Kapil also remembered Sobers as a warm person away from the cricket field.“He was a brilliant cricketer. We lost him, but one can learn from the way he played cricket. Hats off to him, as he enjoyed his life. In the evenings, he used to sit and talk and we were good listeners. He talked a lot about other things in life other than cricket,” he added.Sobers’ career remains one of the most remarkable feats in cricket history. He scored 8,032 Test runs at an average of 57.78, taking 235 wickets, breaking the then world record of 365 not out against Pakistan in 1958, and became the first to hit six sixes in an over in first-class cricket in 1968. He won in 1975, the ICC premier of Barbados and is also honored with the Sir Garfield Sobers Award – named after him, ensuring a legacy his will continue to inspire generations of footballers.
