‘No one could come close to him’: Kapil Dev hails Sir Garfield Sobers as cricket’s greatest all-rounder Cricket News
New Delhi: Sir Garfield Sobers was more than just a legendary all-rounder, he was the cricketer who revolutionized the game and changed the way cricket was approached by future generations, former India captain Kapil Dev he said while paying tribute to the West Indies great who passed away at the age of 89.Speaking to PTI on Saturday, Kapil described Sobers as one of the best cricketers of all time and said his influence went far beyond statistics and records.“I think anyone who knows cricket should know about Gary Sobers. He is one of the best cricketers who has ever walked the earth,” Kapil said. “The way he played cricket inspired people like us. It’s a sad day. He passed away but he gave us so much – so much cricket and his talent and ability that we follow throughout our lives.”Sobers, widely considered the greatest all-rounder in cricket history, died at his home in Barbados on Friday, just 10 days short of his 90th birthday.
“We have versatile players, but not at his size”
Kapil himself is one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders and he believes no player can match Sobers’ extraordinary versatility.“I think, okay, we have all-rounders but not at his scale. I don’t think anyone can come close to him, the way he bats, bowls, fast bowls, spin bowls, fielding. Everything – he has the ability and skill to entertain. Ultimately, many cricketers will stand out but very few will emerge as true entertainers,” Kapil said.Kapil said Sobers’ greatest talent was not only his immense talent but also the joy he had while playing.“I think it was his talent, the way he used to have fun and the way he used to play. In that era, there was no doubt that West Indies were one of the best teams, but he set records and changed people’s mentality on how to play and enjoy the game,” he added.
The man who changed cricket’s thinking
Kapil recalled how Sobers challenged the traditional coaching ideals of his time and inspired young cricketers to think differently.“The most important thing I remember is that he changed the approach to cricket coaching at MCC, what we used to call the ‘V’ style of play,” he said. “I think the first thing I knew was not playing V, but how to get runs. That was the most important saying to me growing up.”Kapil also remembers Sobers as a passionate man outside the cricket field.“He was a great cricketer. We have lost him but we can learn from the way he played cricket. Hats off to him because he enjoyed his life. In the evenings, he used to sit and chat and we were just good listeners. He talked more about other things in life than cricket,” he added.Sobers’ career remains one of the most extraordinary in cricket history. He scored 8,032 runs in Tests at an average of 57.78, took 235 wickets, broke the world record of 365 not out set against Pakistan in 1958, and in 1968 became the first batsman to hit six sixes in first-class cricket. The Barbadian legend was knighted in 1975 and also received the ICC’s highest individual male honour, the Sir Garfield Sobers Award. After him, ensuring that his legacy will continue to inspire generations of cricketers.
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