Rahul Dravid – The Wall is set to fall, once again

Seldom in the history of cricket have we witnessed such a big blow, that too from the saint of cricket. Yes, I am referring to the sad announcement by Rahul Dravid that he is considering retirement from IPL as well. The reason for this decision is that he happens to be leading the Rajasthan Royals – three of whose players were found indulging in spot fixing. Disappointing.

On a personal note, like millions of fans, I too feel a religious kind of bonding with Rahul Dravid, owing to his marvellous contribution to Indian cricket. Composed, contented, cool and committed – these words describe him perfectly. Apart from the enormous cricketing skills, the above-mentioned humanitarian characteristics have made him stand apart.

It was due to his temperament that on countless occasions he stood like a strong wall in the way of the opponents, be it Australia, England, Pakistan or any other country. Rahul Dravid became the heartthrob of millions of fans, as he kept a low profile despite all these glorious innings. Obviously, a sportsperson with such a positive attitude and such simplicity is respected all over, both on and off the field.

Patience is another keyword Rahul was known for. I remember one of his hardcore fans saying, “See the way he waits until the last moment before playing a shot and converts a perfectly good delivery into a splashing boundary”.

Adaptability and placement of shots were the two waves he used to ride during his long standing career. When the batsmen on the other end used to fall, trapped under the bowler’s net, Rahul was seen showing his resilience by using his effective defence.

The cricketing life of Rahul Dravid, all 17 years of it, was based on the brick by brick foundation of his unique confidence and self esteem, as he used to face the most deadly bowlers day in day out. Even if he was unable to score much, he managed to defend his wicket in crucial times.

By putting in additional efforts by keeping wickets for such a long time, he played a major part in some crucial wins for India. He took some surprisingly brilliant catches and made some decent stumpings.

All these qualities underline the dedication he had towards the game till the end. He also rules the heart of millions due to his down-to-earth nature and immense capability of handling stress as well as fame very smoothly. Though he never expressed much, he had intense fighting spirit for facing the most adverse of situations.

Finally, I believe that if he goes now, the spot fixing controversy might just have fast-tracked his decision. What a noble way of protesting corruption in the game by an honest gentleman cricketer! However, it is unfortunate that millions will have to see the fall of this Wall in this manner!