India’s Virat Kohli resorted to social media to send an emotional greeting to the late West Indies all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers. Sobers, widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time, died in Barbados on July 17 at the age of 89.
Virat described Sobers as one of the greats, claiming that his outstanding career will continue to inspire future generations for years to come.
Cricket has lost one of its greatest. Rest in peace, Sir Garfield Sobers. Your legacy will inspire generations.
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 18, 2026
Virat and Sobers had met multiple times before. Most recently, the two met during India’s visit to the West Indies in 2023. Sobers and his wife joined India’s training session prior to the first Test between the two sides in Barbados. At the end of the practice, Kohli and Rohit Sharma approached the couple, spoke a few words, and even took pictures.
Garry Sobers, as he is more affectionately known, will leave an enduring impact in international cricket. The International Cricket Council (ICC) named the Men’s Cricketer of the Year award in his honour. The Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, which was first awarded to India’s Rahul Dravid in 2004, has since gone on to honour some of the game’s greatest players, including Kohli.
The 37-year-old has won the accolade twice, in 2017 and 2018, making him the joint winner with Mitchell Johnson and Ricky Ponting of Australia. It’s also worth noting that in December 2020, the right-handed batter received the Sir Garfield Sobers Award as the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Decade.
