NEW DELHI: Sir Garfield Sobers was much more than a legendary all-rounder — he was the cricketer who revolutionised the game and changed how future generations approached it, former India captain Kapil Dev said while paying tribute to the West Indies great following his death at the age of 89.Speaking to PTI on Saturday, Kapil described Sobers as one of the finest cricketers ever to grace the sport, saying his influence stretched far beyond statistics and records.“I think anybody who knows about cricket should know about Gary Sobers. One of the finest cricketers ever born on this earth,” Kapil said. “The way he played cricket inspired people like us. It’s a sad day. He’s no more, but he’s given us so much — so much cricket and his talent and ability which we follow throughout our lives.”Sobers, widely regarded as the greatest all-rounder in cricket history, passed away at his home in Barbados on Friday, just 10 days before his 90th birthday.
‘We had all-rounders, but not on his scale’
Kapil, himself one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders, believes no player has ever matched Sobers’ extraordinary versatility.“I think, well, we had all-rounders, but not on his scale. I don’t think anybody can come close to him, the way he played batting, bowling, fast bowling, spin bowling, fielding. Everything — he had the ability and the knack for entertaining. At the end of the day, many cricketers will emerge, but very few will be true entertainers,” Kapil said.According to Kapil, Sobers’ greatest gift was not just his immense talent but the joy with which he played the game.“I think it’s the talent, the way he used to enjoy himself and the way he used to play. During that era, no doubt the West Indies team was one of the best, but he set records and shifted people’s mindset of how to play and enjoy,” he added.
The man who changed cricket’s thinking
Kapil recalled how Sobers challenged the conventional coaching philosophy of his time and inspired young cricketers to think differently.“The biggest thing I remember is that he changed the method of MCC cricket coaching, what we used to call playing in ‘V’,” he said. “I think the first thing I came to know is not playing V, how you can get runs. That was the biggest statement stuck in my mind when I was growing up.”Kapil also remembered Sobers as a warm personality 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 just enjoyed his life. In the evening, he used to sit and talk and we were just good listeners. He talked more about other things in life rather than cricket,” he added.Sobers’ career remains one of the most extraordinary in cricket history. He scored 8,032 Test runs at an average of 57.78, claimed 235 wickets, smashed a then-world record 365 not out against Pakistan in 1958, and became the first batter to hit six sixes in an over in first-class cricket in 1968. Knighted in 1975, the Barbados legend also has the ICC’s premier men’s individual honour — the Sir Garfield Sobers Award — named after him, ensuring his legacy will continue to inspire generations of cricketers.