Ali Bacher: Garry Sobers was a five-in-one player and didn’t believe in team talks and net practices

Former West Indies all-rounder Garfield Sobers died last week. Sobers was 89 years old.

He scored 8,092 runs in 93 Tests an average of 58 from 1954 to 1974. This included the sixth-highest individual score in the history of Test cricket – 365 not out against Pakistan in Kingston in 1958.

Sobers also took 235 Test cricket wickets at an average of 34.

“Garry, Garfield. I called him Garry. He certainly is the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen. There can be no question about it,” former South Africa batsman and renowned cricket administrator Ali Bacher told The Biggest Man in Cricket.

Bacher and Sobers’ Test careers coincided for five years from 1965 to 1970.

“He was a five-in-one player – he bowled left-arm quick, left-arm medium, he bowled left-arm spin, he was a brilliant slip catcher and he was a majestic batsmen. He was a five-in-one package,” added Bacher.

“But he was pretty unique. He didn’t believe in team talks, net practices. He said he could play golf. He was a scratch golfer and he didn’t like a lot of sleep – he slept three to four hours, that’s all he needed. He was a unique genius. He was 89 and we had a very warm relationship with him.

Also read: Ranked – Ben Stokes compared to arguably the best all-rounder in Test cricket history

Four of Sobers’ 26 Test centuries were scored in Australia. He also hit 16 Test half-tons in Australia.

“Our tour to Australia was cancelled in 1971-72 and Donald Bradman was in charge there and he organised a Rest of the World XI against Australia,” continued Bacher.

“It was 1 January at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Garry got a duck in the first innings and got 254 in the second innings and Bradman writes that he’s almost certain that that batting performance was the best ever seen in Australia.

“He was a genius, Garry Sobers – a loveable person. Never made any money from cricket, loved his golf, he loved South Africans. He had a warm relationship with the late Tiger Lance.

“He came out here for our unification banquet, he was our guest of honour and I remember before the banquet, we had a special day in Soweto – it was warm and beautiful and I also invited Sunil Gavaskar for this important day.

“I got Garry to bowl spin to Sunil in the nets and the cameras were there and it went around the world and that was the change in South African cricket – he supported it and he loved South Africans.”

Read next: Anatomy of a prodigy – Decoding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s strike rates per phase of the innings

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Next in line – The only 3 genuine contenders to succeed Brendon McCullum as England Test coach

After a brutal 4-1 Ashes drubbing in Australia and a 2-1 home series loss to New Zealand, the England and Wales Cricket Board moved swiftly to dismantle the “Bazball” era.

While McCullum stays on to manage the white-ball teams, managing director Rob Key must act swiftly. Pakistan visits for three Tests from 19 August, and a home Ashes looms next summer.

With former skipper Ben Stokes suddenly retiring from international duty, the incoming coach faces an immediate rebuild alongside likely new captain Harry Brook. Here are the four primary candidates to take the reins.

1. Jonathan Trott

The former England batsman has rapidly built a strong reputation as an international tactician, most notably guiding Afghanistan through a highly competitive era.

Trott understands the unique psychological pressures of the England Test cricket dressing room and offers a grounded, technique-first counterweight to the previous regime.

He possesses an exceptional cricket brain, instils disciplined batting habits, and knows how to maximise the output of an underdog squad.

Conversely, he has never managed a true global powerhouse like England in the longest format. The immense British media scrutiny would test his management limits and present a completely different level of off-field pressure.

Also read: Ranked – Ben Stokes compared to arguably the best all-rounder in Test cricket history

2. Rahul Dravid

Nicknamed “The Wall”, the Indian batting icon is available after successfully guiding India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title and the 2023 World Test Championship final.

Dravid represents a complete philosophical shift from McCullum, prioritising ironclad defensive techniques, patience, and acute game awareness.

He commands immense universal respect, brings unparalleled technical mastery, and has a superb history of developing elite young talent.

The primary roadblock remains his personal lifestyle preferences; reports suggest Dravid has no desire to return to a gruelling, full-time international coaching calendar.

This hesitation might force the ECB to explore an unconventional part-time or flexible arrangement to secure his services.

3. Justin Langer

The gritty former Australian opener famously coached his home country to an emphatic Ashes victory before stepping down in 2022. Hiring an elite Australia rival would be a blockbuster statement of intent, bringing old-school toughness directly into the camp.

Langer excels at rebuilding culture from scratch, demanding peak physical fitness, absolute accountability, and an ultra-competitive edge. On the downside, appointing an Australian icon always carries an uncomfortable political edge for England fans.

His notoriously intense player-management style has also polarized dressing rooms in the past, meaning his authoritative approach could risk clashing with England’s senior players.

Read next: Anatomy of a prodigy – Decoding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s strike rates per phase of the innings

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Records tumble at Lord’s as England win thriller against India

Records tumble at Lord’s as England win thriller against India

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Allan Donald: I could have played for England

Fast bowler Allan Donald played 72 and 1640 ODIs for South Africa from 1991 to 2003.

Donald spoke to the The Biggest Man in Cricket podcast about that run-out during the 1999 Cricket World Cup, potentially playing for England at the time and the rise of fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.

Allan Donald: I could have played for England

“Yes, I remember bumping into Alan Lamb and Robin Smith and his brother Chris Smith,” Donald told The Biggest Man in Cricket podcast.

“We we at an event, had a beer together and Lamb dropped the thing and said, ‘South Africa’s not going to get any better, do you fancy playing for England?’

“The lights went off, of course you’re gullible back then and think, ‘Wow, what an opportunity’. That was in 1989 and I told Dr Ali Bacher, I have a lot of respect for Dr Bacher, I was honest and he said to me, ‘Allan, just wait, just wait 12 months. South Africa will be back, I can’t tell you when, but it will be’.

“And then in 1990 I got a call, I was playing county cricket, Dr Bacher is sitting at Lord’s and he said South Africa have just been voted back in and we are going to the Cricket World Cup in 1992 and that was it, mind was made up, a great moment.”

Allan Donald: I’m not here to judge what Lance Klusener did

“I’m not here to judge what Lance Klusener did, he did what he did, that was the right decision for him in that moment,” added Donald.

“The right decision for me in that moment was not to be run out the ball before, so when I saw it come over to me, I knew there were two very close fielders.

“So for me the decision was, there’s still two balls to go after this, but you’re in the crosshairs, but for me it made me think differently definitely as to how delicate you have to be to support players who have gone through that before or will do in the future. It was a pretty traumatic experience.”

Allan Donald on Kagiso Rabada: You always judge someone on his consistency

“I had the privilege of handing Kagiso his first cap at the Adelaide Oval in front of a massive crowd in his first T20I and he bowled absolute rockets that night,” continued Donald.

“For Shane Watson to come over and say, ‘This is a special talent’ – Kagiso was clocking 156 kilometres per hour. His fastest ball was recorded at 158, so that is a speed bracket. He looked natural. I saw Kagiso at the Under-19 World Cup under coach Ray Jennings and Ray said, ‘This guy is going to become box office’.

“He sometimes pops in to the Lions and comes to have a bowl. He plays the odd game for us, so when he does we really appreciate that, his leadership around the group, especially the youngsters who all gravitate to him and that’s what we wants.

“What an unbelievable character, what a bowler, what a performer, and you always judge someone on his consistency, and he has been just that and more.”

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Brilliant Root picks off India to set up decider

Brilliant Root picks off India to set up decider

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Brainless batting seals England’s fate as India win first ODI

Brainless batting seals England’s fate as India win first ODI

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Brendon McCullum’s Midas touch – 5 most successful Test debuts during his tenure

When Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took the reins of England’s Test side, they brought a radical scouting philosophy. Traditional county metrics were secondary to identifying raw attributes, mental fearlessness, and the capacity to adapt to a high-octane environment. While “Bazball” has seen its fair share of experimentation, it has also unearthed elite international match-winners who have transformed England into an often-terrifying red-ball outfit. The selection of James Rew to play in the recent second Test against New Zealand at The Oval marked the 20^th player to be handed a debut by McCullum.

Let’s take a moment to look at the five most successful Test debutants blooded under McCullum’s transformative management.

1. Harry Brook
   Harry Brook is the undisputed crown jewel of the McCullum scouting era. Making his debut against South Africa in late 2022, the Yorkshire phenom took to Test cricket with historic, unprecedented ease. Blending classical defensive technique with terrifying, modern T20 bat speed, Brook shattered records by becoming the fastest player to reach 1,000 Test runs in terms of balls faced. His remarkable appetite for centuries in Pakistan, New Zealand, and at home during the Ashes established him as a generational pillar of England’s middle order. Now the number one ranked Test batsman in the world, it is impossible to argue that McCullum got this one wrong.
2. Gus Atkinson
   Drafted into the side to inject raw, high-velocity pace into a transitioning bowling attack, Gus Atkinson enjoyed a fairytale introduction to Test cricket. The Surrey speedster immediately hit his stride, combining a smooth, repeatable action with the lethal ability to extract steep bounce and late movement off the deck. His sensational multi-wicket hauls during his debut summer proved that McCullum’s eye for pure athletic potential could translate instantly into match-winning red-ball spells. Now a top ten ranked Test bowler, Atkinson has fully justified McCullum’s faith.
3. Jamie Smith
   Tasked with taking over the crucial wicketkeeper-batsman role, Jamie Smith emerged as an absolute revelation. He seamlessly embodied the aggressive intent demanded by the team’s hierarchy, transforming the lower-middle order into an explosive launchpad. Smith’s flawless glovework coupled with his capability to counterattack alongside the tail or anchor an innings under severe pressure quickly solidified his status as an indispensable all-rounder in the modern setup. Disappointing during the Ashes, Smith nevertheless averages 40.18 in Tests with a high score of 184*.
4. Shoaib Bashir
   Perhaps no selection epitomises the McCullum philosophy better than Shoaib Bashir. Picked out of relative obscurity based primarily on his high release point and a video clip of his spin rotation, the youngster was fast-tracked straight into the firing line. Despite limited first-class experience, Bashir repaid the management’s immense faith with stunning multi-wicket hauls on unforgiving subcontinent tracks. His quick tactical development proved that temperament outweighs raw statistics.
5. Tom Hartley
   Like his fellow spinner Bashir, Tom Hartley was thrown straight into the deep end during demanding away tours. His debut was a masterclass in psychological resilience; after being hit for a six off his very first ball in Test cricket, Hartley rebounded spectacularly to claim match-winning figures. His height, consistent trajectories, and valuable lower-order batting capabilities gave England a dynamic, multi-dimensional spinning option that perfectly matched the aggressive ethos of the team.

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