A legendary piece of sporting history is poised to find a new home for the first time in over seventy years. The iconic baggy green cap worn by the immortal Sir Donald Bradman during his final Test match on Australian soil is heading for the auction block in Sydney.
The Holy Grail of Cricket Memorabilia
This is no ordinary piece of kit. Experts have rightly described the cap as the 'holy grail' of sporting memorabilia. It was on Bradman's head during the 1947 match against India, a momentous occasion where he scored his 100th first-class century. The cap represents the pinnacle of a career that ended with a staggering Test batting average of 99.94.
A Historic Gift and a Family Heirloom
The story of how the cap left Bradman's possession is as remarkable as the item itself. At the end of that historic 1947 Test – which was India's first since gaining independence – Bradman gifted the baggy green to Indian all-rounder Sriranga Sohoni. In a gesture of great respect, The Don placed the cap on the young bowler's head himself.
For three generations, the Sohoni family preserved this treasure in their home west of Mumbai. They treated it with immense reverence, storing it in a glass cabinet with a family rule that members could not view it until they reached the age of 16.
Intense Bidding War Expected
The cap's arrival on the market has generated phenomenal interest from collectors and cricket fans worldwide. Lee Hames of Lloyds Auctions reported that bidding, which opened at a symbolic $1, has been non-stop. The current high bid stands at an impressive $445,000, but many anticipate the final hammer price could surpass $1 million.
This cap is one of only 11 known Bradman baggy greens in existence. Its rarity and provenance make it uniquely valuable. For comparison, Bradman's first baggy green from 1928 sold for $450,000 in 2020. The record for a baggy green at auction is held by the late Shane Warne, whose cap sold for $1,007,500 for bushfire relief in 2020.
Before the auction on Australia Day, the historic cap will be displayed for public viewing in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, offering a rare chance to see a tangible piece of cricketing divinity.
