{"id":194221,"date":"2026-07-17T12:32:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T18:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194221"},"modified":"2026-07-17T12:32:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T18:02:38","slug":"remembering-sir-garfield-sobers-the-man-who-could-do-everything","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194221","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Sir Garfield Sobers: The man who could do everything"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

There was nothing he could not do on the cricket field.<\/p>\n

Garry Sobers, long after Don Bradman had stopped playing, brought a rare culture to the game – celebration of feats in every department, with respect in flow for the opponent too. Sobers loved his mastery. He loved his rivals\u2019 excellence all the more.<\/p>\n

He was flawless. The crease was his kingdom, and he made it known to the opponents. Nothing could unnerve him. He had his way of establishing supremacy, and nothing symbolised it more than the gem of an innings for the Rest of World against the Australians at Melbourne in 1972.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best innings I have seen in Australia,\u201d Bradman had described that epic as Sobers tore into the attack spearheaded by Dennis Lillee. The swing of the bat matched the flow of the ball, and it was hailed as a masterclass universally. You had to be a Sobers to bat like that. An Aussie fan, a witness of that innings, recalled the majestic show in glowing words. One particular shot off Lillee seemed to hit the fence with the bowler a step into his follow-through.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ | With Sir Garfield Sobers\u2019 demise, cricket loses its original superstar all-rounder<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

World cricket was enriched by his amazing consistency and the desire to dominate. He could bat at any position and play literally every shot in the book. The six sixes off six balls feat against Glamorgan in 1968 was a first. The bowler, left-arm spinner Malcolm Nash, was grateful to Sobers for helping him get into the record books.<\/p>\n

Fans would flock to watch him bat, bowl, and field. But many would turn up just to see his athleticism, his style, collars up, the lazy walk from slip to slip; Sobers was a star, a handsome individual who was responsible for women turning up in large numbers at cricket matches. His colleagues were envious of his huge following.<\/p>\n

Hailing from a humble background in Barbados, Sobers rose to become one of the greatest cricketers, and arguably, the greatest all-rounder. He could bowl fast, tease you with spin, and unleash the chinaman. He was a wizard. His contemporaries learned their lessons from watching him closely. Sobers was aware that he was a role model to many who wanted to emulate him, and he often shared his wisdom most selflessly.<\/p>\n

He would always remain a revered figure for Sunil Gavaskar, who was lucky to earn a reprieve at Port of Spain in 1971 when Sobers grassed a sitter. In the preceding Test, the same Sobers had plucked an impossible catch off K. Jayantilal, who never got another chance.<\/p>\n

Sobers held Ajit Wadekar and Bishan Singh Bedi in high esteem. In 2010, he travelled to Mumbai when noted cricket journalist Dwarkanath Sanzgiri felicitated the Indian team of 1971 for their series wins in the West Indies and England. Sobers lent his name to attract sponsors and raise funds for the Indians and, remarkably, refused to take his share. It was an incredible night with cricket stories floating until morning. It was a sight as Wadekar and Bedi sat attentively, soaking in the anecdotes as Sobers recalled those great times.<\/p>\n

ALSO READ | From the archive \u2014 Sir Garfield Sobers chats with Sportstar<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

There was none like Sobers.<\/p>\n

There was an anecdote from the Tied Test in 1960. Australian skipper Richie Benaud, a crafty leg-spinner, was locked in a captivating duel with Sobers, who smashed a century in the first innings. At one point, Benaud, seeing Sobers looking to step out, slipped in a flipper. Benaud was convinced he had his man with that well-concealed delivery. Sobers had realised his mistake, but he went through his commitment with a flourish that saw the ball flash past Benaud. It was said to be a golden moment from that great contest when two masters tested each other\u2019s finesse.<\/p>\n

Sobers stayed in touch with the game despite his falling health. His frail figure hurt his admirers, who remember him as a debonair figure on the cricket field. Needless to say, Sobers would have lorded over the T20 format, given his dashing stroke-making ability and also the skills to fox the batsmen with the ball. He was the original god of cricket, and those who saw him play in flesh were blessed. Those who could not, can visit YouTube to discover the meaning of the art of cricket.<\/p>\n

Published on Jul 17, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There was nothing he could not do on the cricket field. Garry Sobers, long after Don Bradman had stopped playing, brought a rare culture to the game – celebration of feats in every department, with respect in flow for the opponent too. Sobers loved his mastery. He loved his rivals\u2019 excellence all the more. He…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":194222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-194221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image20-202026-07-17T230820.278.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":194261,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194261","url_meta":{"origin":194221,"position":0},"title":"\u2018The greatest cricketer of all time\u2019 \u2014 When Don Bradman paid tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Garry Sobers, arguably the greatest all rounder of all time, has died aged 89 West Indies Cricket announced on Friday. \u201cA great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers,\u201d West Indies Cricket posted on X above a photograph of him titled \u2018Legend.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_39_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_39_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_39_1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_39_1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_39_1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":194305,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194305","url_meta":{"origin":194221,"position":1},"title":"West Indies legend Garry Sobers passes away at age 89","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Garry Sobers was born with two extra fingers \u2014 one on each hand. He removed them himself as a boy, using catgut and a sharp knife. Sobers would go on to become the most complete cricketer to play the game. A graceful and destructive left-handed batsman, \u200ba left-arm bowler equally\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HS4886.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HS4886.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HS4886.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HS4886.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HS4886.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":194285,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194285","url_meta":{"origin":194221,"position":2},"title":"With Sir Garfield Sobers\u2019 demise, cricket loses its original superstar all-rounder","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In cricket\u2019s deep memory, some players seem eternal and always relevant. The late Sir Donald Bradman was one, and Sir Garfield Sobers (89), who passed away in Barbados on Friday, was another. If batting\u2019s aura always vested with Bradman, Sobers held sway as the supreme all-rounder. Having last played for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_64151.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_64151.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_64151.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_64151.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Sobers_Obit_64151.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":194409,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194409","url_meta":{"origin":194221,"position":3},"title":"From the archive: Peter Roebuck remembers Sir Garry Sobers as cricket\u2019s greatest all-round genius in timeless tribute","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I first saw Gary Sobers in the flesh at Taunton in 1971. Of course, I had watched him countless times on television, in the 1963, 1966, and 1969 Test series, for example, but somehow never live before. Somerset\u2014some things remain ever the same\u2014was chasing the John Player League title. A\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image2055.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image2055.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image2055.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image2055.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image2055.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":194357,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194357","url_meta":{"origin":194221,"position":4},"title":"Michael Holding pays tribute to Garry Sobers, calls him cricket\u2019s greatest","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The late Garry Sobers \u201cstood out\u201d even among cricket\u2019s greats but remained humble despite his standing in the game, former West Indies bowler Michael Holding told AFP on Friday. The Barbados-born Sobers, who has died at the age of 89, featured in 93 Tests between 1954 and 1974, amassing 8,032\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HSP175280.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HSP175280.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HSP175280.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HSP175280.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HSP175280.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":194233,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=194233","url_meta":{"origin":194221,"position":5},"title":"Tributes pour in post passing away of cricket legend Sir Garfield “Garry” Sobers","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Tributes have poured in from across the world after the death of Sir Garfield \u201cGarry\u201d Sobers, with players, administrators, teams and boards describing his passing as an \u201cirreplaceable loss\u201d and celebrating him as one of the sport\u2019s greatest icons. 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