Rahul Dravid - The man we all want to become
Thank you ICC. The Wall has now entered your Hall of Fame.
The first line always becomes difficult to write when the subject in question is a personality of the highest order, above anyone else. Be it the sporting milestones that we wish to chart down or simply the overall persona of the subject, it requires some special effort to pen it down. In this case, the subject is Rahul Dravid.
Dravid recently became the fifth Indian to be inducted into ICC’s Hall of Fame after Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi (2009) and Anil Kumble (2015). For a person who has not worried or bothered about even a single personal milestone, this step comes as a huge mark of respect and tribute.
He came on to the international scene at Lord’s in 1996 as a quiet and shy boy; he left the same way in 2012. What he has left in between is a legacy, something that the next generation can look up to. A career earmarked with legendary status has never ceased to inspire.
One might have probably lost count the number of times Dravid has put the team above himself. In an era of cricket where over-the-top attitudes and go-getter personalities are making their mark, it is a pleasure to see someone like this gentleman take the backseat and let his work do the talking in an altogether different dimension.
He took over the Indian captaincy when the management was apparently plagued with coach-captain issues and was fairly successful, except for the 2007 World Cup debacle. He donned the wicketkeeping gloves when the team failed to find a regular wicketkeeper. No controversies, no pointed fingers, and no glamour – this is how he went off the international scene on a high.
But he was still not done. He easily could have gone for a high-paying and secure administrative job within the Indian cricket setup. He chose to take a harder route, that of coaching the U-19 lads. He established himself as an institution at the grass root level. Lately, he announced his disappointment over the pay disparity and agreed on a linear amount after India won the U-19 World Cup earlier this year. He has often been seen travelling like a common man, standing in queues, playing for his childhood club and interacting with common people.
If the quotes on Dravid have to be taken into account, there would altogether be a different piece written on it. However, one comment from Harsha Bhogle stands above the rest, “the wolf who lived for the pack.”
Believe it or not, you would always want to associate Dravid with greatness, but what is more striking is that this greatness has come on the back of the most simplistic things. Where in modern cricket would you find such an irony?
The day when most of us who watched him play would be asked to select the best cricketing human on the planet, Rahul Dravid would undoubtedly be the name in unison.
As is often said, “Nice guys finish last,” but not in this case.
Patience, perseverance, discipline, commitment, teamwork, and work ethics - Rahul Sharad Dravid taught us all.
Take a bow, sir!
What is your favourite Rahul Dravid innings? Tell us in the comments below!