A "Baggy Green" cap worn by Don Bradman during Australia's 1947–48 series against India sold for 460,000 Australian dollars (€268,000, $318,000) at a Gold Coast auction on Monday.
The sale set a record for a cap worn by the legendary cricketer, whose batting figures eclipse those of all other rivals.
What do we know about the sale of Bradman's cap?
Bradman had given the cap to Indian cricketer Sriranga Wasudev Sohoni, whose family preserved it for about 75 years.
"That's over three generations under lock and key. If you were a family member, you were only allowed to look at it when you were 16 years old for five minutes," said Lee Hames, the chief operating officer of Lloyds Auctioneers and Valuers.
The cap, which bears the names "D.G. Bradman" and "S.W. Sohoni" inscribed inside, was sold to an anonymous bidder and will be placed on public display at an Australian museum, local media reported.
It is in good condition, contrasting with another Bradman cap that was sun-faded and insect-damaged when it sold for about $215,000 at auction in 2024.
Historic series for newly independent India
Bradman was the standout player in the 1947-48 series against India, a five-match series which Australia won 4-0, with one draw. He scored 715 runs from six innings, surviving two of them without being put out, meaning he averaged a stratospheric 178.75 runs. He hit four centuries and one half-century in the series.
The tour of Australia was also a milestone for Indian cricket, as the national team went on its first foreign tour since India gained independence from Britain in August 1947.
Bradman vied with Indian captain and all-rounder Vinoo Mankad in the series, a serious threat with both ball and bat. Mankad also secured his name in cricket terminology during these Tests, twice claiming the wicket of Australian batsman Bill Brown by running him out at the non-striker's end.
Known to this day as "Mankading," the act is legal but controversial on sportsmanship grounds, although the Indian captain had warned Brown before punishing him for trying to sneak away from his wicket.
Widely regarded as the greatest batsman in cricket history, Bradman played 52 Test matches for Australia and finished with a batting average of 99.94 — nearly 40 runs higher than any other player.
