Sir Donald Bradman's historic 'baggy green' cap up for auction
A historic piece of Australian cricket memorabilia, the Baggy Green cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during the 1947/48 series against India, will be auctioned in Sydney this week. The cap is expected to be sold for between $195,000 and $260,000 (approximately ₹2 crore). Notably, this series is of historical importance as it was India's first overseas tour post-independence.
Bradman's remarkable performance in historic India series
While the 1947/48 series is an important part of India's history, it is equally important for Australia as Bradman produced a phenomenal performance. He scored a staggering 715 runs from just six innings, including three centuries and a double-ton. Despite being 70 years old and showing signs of wear, which includes insect damage and faded color, the cap is expected to fetch around $200,000 at the auction, as per auction house Bonhams.
Public viewing and Bradman's retirement decision
The Baggy Green cap was put on public display in Melbourne and Sydney for the last two weeks, giving cricket lovers a glimpse of an important piece of Australia's cricket history. In his autobiography Farewell to Cricket, Bradman disclosed he delayed retirement to pay tribute to India's first post-independence tour of Australia. He wrote, "Believing that the season against India in 1947/8 would be less exacting...I again felt it my duty to play this one season."
Bradman finished with an average of 99.94
Bradman played his last Test in the next year's Ashes at The Oval in London. He required just four runs to bow out with an astronomical average of 100. However, the Aussie legend managed a second-ball duck, leaving his average at 99.94. Bradman, known as the GOAT, finished with 6,996 runs in just 52 Tests (29 tons). This isn't the first time a Bradman cap has been auctioned. His debut cap from 1928 was sold for $290,000 in 2020.
