When Sobers received his greatest tribute from Sir Don Bradman

The ultimate tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers, who passed away at 89, surely came from someone whom cricket always recognised as the god of batsmanship. “He (Sobers) is, in my opinion, the greatest cricketer of all time,” remarked Sir Donald Bradman when both of them were named among Wisden’s five cricketers of the 20^th century back in 2000.

The five chosen ones by Wisden were Bradman, Sobers, Jack Hobbs, Viv Richards and Shane Warne. It’s not as if the master from Barbados, undisputably the greatest allrounder of all time, needed an endorsement from cricket’s so-called Bible – but it certainly puts into perspective as to where Sobers stood in the pantheons of the sport.

The morning after news of his death broke, cricket has gone into mourning. Sunil Gavaskar, who always had cherished memories of Sobers as the West Indies captain when he made his memorable international debut in 1971, said on social media: “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. Memories keep flooding back and that’s what I will be holding forever close to my heart.”

There was a touching and unique joint tribute from three West Indies captains Roston Chase, Hayley Matthews, Shai Hope: all of whom hailed from Sobers’ Barbados. “As three Barbadians, we are reminded that even those who emerge from our shores can go on to represent something much greater. Sir Garry’s journey from Barbados to becoming the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen remains one of the most inspiring stories in the history of our game. He showed that while our individual islands shape who we are, the West Indies provides a platform for us to unite, compete and inspire on the world stage,’’ the joint statement said.   

Groffrey Boycott, former England opening batter and captain who had matched wits with Sir Garry in the middle, said in a signed column in The Telegraph: “Anyone who saw him in his pomp will have wonderful memories of the greatest allrounder, an icon, a once-in-your-lifetime cricketer. And even more important, a lovely man. I just loved the way Garry walked out to bat. He was like a panther with a purposeful, loping and confident walk. He didn’t say anything. He did not need to. There was no ego. His walk let the opposition know he was there for business.”

Mohammed Azharuddin, former India captain, said on his X account: “Cricket has lost one of its greatest ever icons. Deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers, one of the greatest cricketers to have ever graced the game. His unmatched brilliance as an allrounder, remarkable sportsmanship, and enduring legacy will continue to inspire generations of cricketers around the world.”

 West Indies Cricket CEO Chris Dehring, meanwhile, described Sobers as a “towering figure whose influence on our game and our region can never be overstated”. Looking at the bigger picture about the influence of Sobers, he observed: “He was the embodiment of West Indies cricket at its finest - bold, brilliant, innovative and unapologetically excellent. His extraordinary achievements transformed the way the game was played and inspired generations of cricketers.”

 Go well, Sir Garfield Sobers. They won’t make men like you anymore…