The recently concluded Test series between England and India was drenched in runs, and a lot of records were broken. Several players had a series of their lifetime, with India captain Shubman Gill scoring 754 runs, Mohammed Siraj picking up 23 wickets, England captains won all five tosses, while Harry Brook took the most, 14 catches. At the same time, Siraj also bowled more than 1000 deliveries during the gruelling five-match series. However, in 1966, West Indies legend Gary Sobers did all this by himself during the tour of England.
Top performers in IND vs ENG Series
| Shubman Gill | 754 runs |
| Mohammed Siraj | 23 wickets |
| Harry Brook | 14 catches |
| Mohammed Siraj | 1113 balls (most balls bowled) |
| Tosses | England won all five tosses (Stokes and Pope) |
| Series Result | 2-2 |
The all-rounder was in the form of his life in the five-match series. He scored a stunning 722 runs at an average of more than 100, picked up 20 wickets, won all five tosses, took 10 catches led the West Indies to a 3-1 series win. Sobers also sent down a staggering 1618 deliveries (269.4 overs) in the series.
Gary Sobers's performance on tour of England in 1966
| Runs scored | 722 runs |
| Wickets | 20 wickets |
| Catches | 10 catches |
| Balls Bowled | 1618 balls |
| Tosses won | 5 tosses |
| Series result | 3-1 in West Indies' favour |
Sobers is arguably one of the best all-rounders to have played Test cricket, and his skills in all aspects of the sport were on top during the series against England. 59 years down the line, none of the players has been able to replicate this unthinkable feat despite there being a lot of all-rounders featuring in the longest format.
Ben Stokes came a tad closer to his heroics, but going by numbers, he is still way behind. The England skipper scored 304 runs, picked up 17 wickets and bowled 840 deliveries in four Test matches. But he sustained a shoulder injury in the fourth Test and eventually missed the last match.
Given that, Sobers didn't break down while bowling 1618 balls in five Tests and scoring more than 700 runs is a testament to his exceptional fitness.
A look at Gary Sobers' all-round career
Gary Sobers played for the West Indies from 1954 to 1974 and featured in 93 Test matches during his illustrious career. In 160 innings with the bat, the all-rounder smashed 8032 runs at an average of 57.78 with a stunning 26 centuries and 30 fifties to his name and also took 109 catches. With the ball, Sobers accounted for 235 wickets at an average of 34.03 with six five-wicket hauls and eight four-fers.
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