Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar paid tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers after the West Indies great passed away on Friday, calling him the greatest cricketer to have ever played the game and the player every child dreams of becoming.Widely regarded as cricket’s greatest all-rounder, Sobers died at his home in Barbados, 11 days before his 90th birthday. During a career spanning two decades, he set new standards with his batting, bowling and fielding.“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,” Gavaskar said, as quoted by news agency PTI.“Memories keep flooding back and that’s what I will hold close to my heart forever. Rest in peace, Sir Garfield. You will stay eternally in our hearts,” he added.Sobers represented the West Indies in 93 Test matches between 1954 and 1974. He scored 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries, and also took 235 wickets.A left-handed batter, Sobers was equally effective as a left-arm fast-medium bowler, left-arm orthodox spinner and left-arm wrist spinner. He was also known as one of the finest fielders and close catchers in the game’s history.His unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in 1958 was the highest individual score in Test cricket at the time. The record stood for 36 years.Another landmark came in 1968 when, while playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire, he became the first player to hit six sixes in an over in first-class cricket. The feat came against Malcolm Nash of Glamorgan.Sobers was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 for his services to cricket. In 2000, he was named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the 20th Century.His name also lives on through the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, the ICC’s annual award presented to the outstanding men’s international cricketer across all formats.
