Sobers rates Gavaskar as the greatest batsman

Mumbai, March 03: The cricket world may be going ga ga over Sachin Tendulkar but West Indian legend Gary Sobers rates Sunil Gavaskar as the greatest batsman he has ever seen, simply because of his stupendous success against the fearsome Caribbean pacers of the 1970s.

“It’s my approach, my view that Sunny Gavaskar is the greatest batsman I have come across. He has opened the innings against genuine fast bowlers like Michael Holding, (Andy) Robers, (Colin) Croft and (Joel) Garner. He has made more runs away from India – in the West Indies, Australia and England,” Sobers told a media conference here today.

Gavaskar had a fairytale 1971 debut in the Caribbeans where he amassed 774 runs at 154.80 in the series, which made him the subject of a Calypso song.

“This is not to belittle players like Vivian (Richards) Brian (Lara) or Sachin (Tendulkar).

—Agencies