Virat Kohli paid tribute to West Indies great Sir Garfield Sobers after his death, calling him one of the greatest cricketers the game has ever seen.Sobers leaves behind a career that shaped cricket over two decades. He excelled with both bat and ball and set a benchmark for all-rounders that few have matched.Kohli took to X to express his condolences and praised Sobers’ impact on the game.“Cricket has lost one of its greatest. Rest in peace, Sir Garfield Sobers. Your legacy will inspire generations,” Kohli wrote.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 during his career.He was known as a left-handed batter, a left-arm bowler who could bowl seam, orthodox spin and wrist spin, and an outstanding fielder. His all-round ability earned him recognition as one of the finest cricketers in the history of the sport.One of his most memorable achievements came in 1958 when he scored an unbeaten 365 against Pakistan. It was then the highest individual score in Test cricket, a record that remained unbeaten for 36 years.Sobers also created history in county cricket in 1968 while playing for Nottinghamshire. He became the first player to hit six sixes in a single over in first-class cricket, achieving the feat against Malcolm Nash of Glamorgan.He 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.Sobers’ death marks the end of one of cricket’s most celebrated careers, with tributes continuing to pour in from across the sporting world.
