Virat Kohli honours West Indies icon Sir Garfield Sobers following his passing

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Indian cricket star Virat Kohli paid tribute to West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers following his passing, describing him as one of the greatest figures the sport has ever produced.

The celebrated Caribbean icon leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that redefined cricket over a two-decade career. Renowned for his masterful skills with both bat and ball, he established a benchmark for all-round excellence that few have ever replicated.

Taking to X to offer his condolences, Kohli emphasised the profound and permanent impact the legendary player left on the game.

“Cricket has lost one of its greatest. Rest in peace, Sir Garfield Sobers. Your legacy will inspire generations,” Kohli wrote.

Remembering the extraordinary career of the game’s ultimate all-rounder, Sir Garfield Sobers

Sobers represented the West Indies in 93 Test matches between 1954 and 1974, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries, while also claiming 235 wickets.

His unique capability to dominate as an elite left-handed batsman, bowl effectively across multiple styles, including left-arm fast-medium, orthodox spin, and wrist spin, and field with exceptional athleticism earned him universal recognition as the most complete cricketer to ever play.

Among his most iconic milestones was a monumental, unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in 1958, which set the record for the highest individual score in Test history. This feat remained unbroken for over three and a half decades. Later, in 1968, while representing Nottinghamshire in English county cricket, he secured another piece of history by becoming the very first batsman to smash six sixes in a single over of first-class cricket, punishing Glamorgan’s Malcolm Nash.

In recognition of his monumental contributions to the sport, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 and was subsequently selected as one of Wisden’s prestigious Five Cricketers of the Century in 2000.

His name remains synonymous with peak international performance through the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, the ICC’s annual award reserved for the world’s top men’s cricketer. His passing signals the conclusion of a golden era in sports history, with moving tributes arriving from every corner of the global cricketing community.

(With inputs from ANI)

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