Garfield Sobers was the greatest allrounder of all time. Over 93 Tests, he smashed 8,032 runs, captured 235 wickets and snared 109 catches, some absolute gems in the slips. But during India’s 1971 tour to the Caribbean, the West Indian maestro dropped Sunil Gavaskar no less than three times, providing an inadvertent fillip to the career of the young opener playing his debut Test series. Gavaskar, who described Sobers as “the greatest cricketer I have ever seen” in his book ‘ Idols ’, detailed those missed chances in his autobiography ‘ Sunny Days ’.“I was glad to see Sobers grass a low fast edge off Holder as I tried to drive him off the back foot. Sobers tumbled in the attempt but spilled the ball. This was a lucky break,” he wrote. The chance was offered when Sunny was in his 20s and he went on to score 65 on debut. It was the same Test where India recorded their first -ever win against West Indies in Trinidad. Sobers also had a hand, literally, in Gavaskar getting his first ton. The opener wrote, “As I was nearing my first century, dark clouds began gathering and it started to drizzle. Play continued, however, and on 94 I survived what was probably the simplest of catches.”It transpires that Sunny played forward to a flighted delivery from off-spinner Jack Noreiga. “The ball spun and jumped, hitting me on my glove and went to Sobers, who would have taken a dolly if he had been standing where he was before the ball was delivered. But Garry, anticipating my forward defensive stroke, had moved forward,” wrote Gavaskar. Sobers missed the grab. “At the end of the over, Gary stood in front of me and said, ‘Maan, why are you after me, can’t you find some other fielder?’ He had dropped me thrice so far and this last one was the easiest of the lot.” Sunny went on to score 116.But the West Indian great took everything in stride. Gavaskar scored 124 and 220 in the last Test, taking his run tally to a staggering 774 in the series. “As I walked back to the pavilion, Sobers smilingly tousled my cap,” wrote Sunny. The two cricketers were on the same side, Rest of the World, against Australia in 1971-72. Sobers’ 254 against Lillee and Co. in Melbourne was described by Donald Bradman as “the greatest ever since the War”. And yet “the remarkable thing is that he never wore a thigh guard in his life,” wrote Sunny.
