Cricket Legend's Cap Sells for Record $460K at Auction

A family treasure carefully guarded for three generations just became the most expensive baggy green cap ever sold, proving that acts of friendship can appreciate in value far beyond money.

Sir Donald Bradman, widely considered cricket's greatest batsman ever, gave his baggy green cap to Indian cricketer Sriranga Wasudev Sohoni after their 1947-48 series. Sohoni's family treated it with such reverence that young family members could only view it once they turned 16, and then just for five minutes.

The cap sold for $460,000 at a Gold Coast auction, shattering the previous record of $311,000 paid for another Bradman cap in 2024. That earlier cap was sun-faded and insect-damaged, while this one remains in excellent condition thanks to the family's devotion.

The names "D.G. Bradman" and "S.W. Sohoni" are still clearly inscribed inside the cap. For 75 years, it stayed under lock and key, a symbol of sporting friendship between Australia and India.

An anonymous buyer purchased the cap with one condition that warms the heart. Rather than keeping it in a private collection, the new owner wants it displayed at an Australian museum where cricket fans can celebrate this piece of history together.

Why This Inspires

This story transcends sport. It shows how a simple gift between competitors became a family heirloom, carefully preserved across continents and generations.

The 1947-48 series held special significance as India's first as an independent nation. Bradman made 715 runs that series, including his 100th first-class century, yet he still found time to honor his opponents with personal gifts.

In Bradman's era, players received a new baggy green cap for each series they played, unlike today's single cap awarded at Test debut. That makes these caps rarer pieces of cricket history.

The sale total reaches $535,900 once the buyer's premium is included. Every dollar reflects not just Bradman's legendary 99.94 Test batting average, but the power of respect between rivals.

Sohoni passed away in 1993 at age 75, but his family's care ensured his friendship with Bradman would be remembered forever. Now museum visitors will share in that legacy, learning how sports can build bridges between nations and generations.