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The West Indies toured India in 1966-67 under Garfield Sobers. I was 11 years old and thrilled to get a 5-day ‘season ticket’ to the match from my father for having done well in the half-yearly exams.

This was the second Test I would be watching in my life. The first was India against Australia two years earlier at the same venue. Seeing Nawab of Pataudi’s team beat Bob Simpson’s Aussies against all odds in a humdinger was an exhilarating experience which got me hooked to cricket for life.

Against West Indies, however, when I scan the scorecard to refresh my memory, India put up a spirited fight but were outplayed by a side superior in all departments of the game.

There were several significant performances from either side.

Conrad Hunte and Chandu Borde made a century each, debutant Clive Lloyd made half centuries in both innings, Tiger Pataudi and Salim Durrani shone with the bat and Bhagwat Chandrashekhar’s 11 wickets stands out as among the more valiant efforts in a losing cause in cricket history.

Also read: Goodbye, Sir Gary Sobers: A Cricketer’s Six, and a Salute

The most compelling performance was from Garfield Sobers, captain of West Indies.

Leading into the Test, gossip about his dalliance with budding actor Anju Mahendroo had grabbed more headlines than his renowned all-round skills. But once he took the field, Sobers gave ample evidence of the full  range of his genius.

He took five wickets bowling left-arm fast and spin, three brilliant catches and scored two majestic half centuries, the second of these in a sizzling run chase to be in time for horse races at Mahalaxmi.

The Test had only spilled over into the 5th day because of an extraordinary call made by Sobers when India were batting in the second innings. He picked up a sharp catch in the leg trap of Budhi Kunderan. The appeal was instantly upheld but Sobers asked the umpire to reverse his decision indicating the catch had been taken on the half volley. This reprieve allowed Kundaren score a blistering 79.

Sobers’s amazing gesture made a lasting impression on me. It was a demonstration that cricket was not just about winning and losing. Why and how you........

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