Sir Gary Sobers Death: The cricket world lost one of its greatest all-rounders. West Indies legend Sir Gary Sobers passes away at the age of 89. With his departure, a golden chapter of cricket ended, which changed the definition of the game. He was not just a great batsman or bowler, but was the player who for the first time made the world believe that six consecutive sixes could be hit in six balls of an over. The most important thing is that at the time of birth he had an extra finger in both his hands. But this physical characteristic never stopped the flight of his dreams. Coming out of struggles, he wrote such a story of reaching the pinnacle of cricket, which will always remain an inspiration for the coming generations-
Cricket lost its greatest all-rounder
The West Indies Cricket Board confirmed the death of Sir Gary Sobers on Friday. But the cause of his death has not been officially disclosed. As soon as the news of his demise came out, cricketers, former players and fans from all over the world paid tribute to him. Cricket experts believe that complete players like Sobers are born very rarely.
When six sixes were hit in an over for the first time
Today, big shots seem common in T20 cricket, but in 1968 it was difficult to even think of such. Playing for Nottinghamshire in England’s county cricket, Sir Gary Sobers hit six sixes on all six balls of one over by Glamorgan bowler Malcolm Nash. This was the first time in the history of first-class cricket that a batsman achieved this feat. Later, India’s Ravi Shastri, Yuvraj Singh and many other batsmen also achieved this feat, but it was Sobers who started it.
At the age of 21, such a record was made which stunned the world.
Sir Gary Sobers played a historic inning of 365 not out against Pakistan in 1958. At that time this was the highest individual score in Test cricket. He was only 21 years old and is still the youngest batsman to score a triple century in Test cricket.
This innings made him one of the biggest stars of world cricket.
Not just a batsman, he was unmatched in every skill
Sobers’ greatest strength was his versatility. He batted explosively with his left hand, could also bowl fast and, when needed, could bowl left-arm spin equally effectively. Apart from this, his fielding was also excellent. This is the reason why he is considered the most complete all-rounder in the history of cricket. The great batsman Sir Don Bradman described him as the best all-rounder of his era, while the prestigious Wisden Cricket Almanack ranked him among the five greatest cricketers of the 20th century.
Was born with 12 fingers
Born Garfield St. Auburn Sobers on July 28, 1936, in St. Michael, Barbados, he was born with a rare physical condition. He had an extra finger on each hand.
It is said that in his childhood he himself removed these extra fingers with the help of a sharp knife and surgical thread (catgut).
Father’s shadow disappeared at the age of five
Sobers’ childhood was spent in extremely difficult circumstances. When he was just five years old, his father, a sailor in the Canadian Merchant Navy, died. He was killed in a German attack during World War II. After this, his mother Thelma raised six children alone. Despite financial difficulties, he did not let any slackness come in the education and upbringing of his children. Sobers has also mentioned in detail his mother’s struggle and sacrifice in his autobiography.
Became great cricketers while playing on the road and seashore
Gary Sobers did not have a modern cricket kit in his childhood. He used to play ‘Lilliputian Cricket’ on the road and beach. In this, a ball made of wire and a bat made of a piece of wood were used.
Laid the foundation of extraordinary talent in small sports later on
At the age of just 16, he made his first-class cricket debut for Barbados. A year later, in 1954, he played his first Test match for West Indies. In 1965, he was made the captain of the West Indies team. Under his captaincy the team made a strong mark in world cricket.
Queen Elizabeth gave the honor of ‘Sir’
In 1975, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain honored him with the title of ‘Knighthood’ for his extraordinary contribution to cricket. After this, ‘Sir’ was always added to his name.
In 1998, the Government of Barbados named him one of the country’s 10 official national heroes. The Sir Garfield Sobers Sports Complex was also built in his honour. The great South African leader Nelson Mandela also counted him among his favorite cricketers.
Figures that show his greatness
Sir Gary Sobers played 93 test matches for West Indies. During this period he scored 8,032 runs, which included 26 centuries and 30 half-centuries. His batting average was 57.78, which puts him in the category of great batsmen in Test history.
In bowling he took 235 test wickets. Also, by taking more than 100 catches, he proved that he was equally reliable in fielding.
Gary Sobers’ name will always be alive in cricket
Sir Gary Sobers was not just a record maker, he changed the way cricket was played. He proved that a player can perform world class in all three – batting, bowling and fielding. From six sixes in an over to a historic inning of 365 runs, his achievements are an inspiration to cricket lovers even today.
A great era has definitely ended with his demise, but the name of Sir Gary Sobers will always be recorded in golden letters in the history of cricket.
