Sunil Gavaskar: Sobers Drops Three Times, Star Man!
Sunil Gavaskar: Sobers Drops Three Times, Star Man! During the 1971 tour of the West Indies, legendary all-rounder Garry Sobers dropped Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar three times in a single Test, a twist of fate that helped launch an extraordinary career. Gavaskar, who later called Sobers the greatest cricketer I have ever seen, described these moments in his autobiography ‘Sunny Days.’
The first drop came on Gavaskar’s debut in Trinidad, when he edged a delivery from Vanburn Holder. Sobers, fielding in the slips, tumbled but spilled a low, fast edge. Gavaskar wrote, I was glad to see Sobers grass a low fast edge… This was a lucky break. He was in his 20s at the time and went on to score 65, helping India secure their first-ever Test win against the West Indies.
Sobers also played a key role in Gavaskar’s first century. As Gavaskar approached his maiden ton, rain threatened to stop play. On 94, he played forward to off-spinner Jack Noreiga. The ball spun, hit his glove, and went to Sobers, who had moved out of position anticipating the stroke. Sobers missed what Gavaskar called a dolly. After the over, Sobers joked, Maan, why are you after me, can’t you find some other fielder?
Gavaskar scored 116 in that innings. He finished the series with 774 runs, including scores of 124 and 220 in the final Test. As he walked off, Sobers smilingly tousled his cap. The two later played together for the Rest of the World against Australia, where Sobers hit a memorable 254. Gavaskar noted, The remarkable thing is that he never wore a thigh guard in his life. The story of Sunil Gavaskar: Sobers Drops Three Times, Star Man! remains a fascinating chapter in cricket history, showing how even legends can make mistakes that shape a future star’s journey.
Prashanth is the editor of PakkaFilmy. He covers Telangana and Andhra Pradesh politics, Telugu and Indian cinema, sports, technology and useful public-interest news in clear, simple English. Every story is checked against available official information before publishing, as set out in our Editorial Policy. Follow PakkaFilmy on X: https://x.com/pakkafilmy007 | Telegram: https://t.me/pakkafilmytelugu | Instagram: https://instagram.com/pakkafilmy_
