Rahul Dravid- The Wall that held Indian batting

When a young lad walked out to face the stiff England bowling attack on 20th of July, 1996, most people would have laughed off even a vague thought of that batsman becoming the backbone of Indian batting line up for the next sixteen years. On March 9th, 2012, when curtains fell on Rahul Dravid’s career, the writing was clearly on ‘the wall’ for all to see. In the sixteen years of a career filled with cricketing records and brilliance, Dravid was known for his off-field persona as he was for his on-field heroics. So what made him stand out in a team filled with legends like Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman?. He wasn’t a master blaster like Sachin, fiery like Ganguly nor did he have the stylishness of Laxman’s strokes, but he more than made up for it with remarkable sense of application, determination, dedication, discipline and his unwavering allegiance for his team’s cause. Be it donning the gloves to accommodate an extra batsman or opening the innings or moving down the order when required, Dravid has done it all for the team. Dravid, when asked by Harsha Bhogle about team work, quoted Rudyard Kipling and said “for the strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf.” He was a good orator too. He belonged to a rare breed of sportsmen who wrote their own speeches. Dravid’s career is a shining example of wonders of hard work. He holds the record for most number of catches in Test cricket. Mark Waugh once remarked on this – “Dravid is not a natural slip fielder. He is only successful there because of his sheer practice.”

Team India’s resurgence in mid 2000’s was based on its performance abroad. And behind the facile wins abroad was Rahul Dravid. In fact, Dravid is one of the very few players to average more abroad than in home conditions. He was a purist’s delight. He was a rare player who applied defensive techniques to winning matches. He was a player who could face the bowlers with the broad face of his bat for hours together. He, despite being one of the best, was often overshadowed by his more glamorous counterparts. For a player once called unfit for ODI cricket, he has more than ten thousand runs in that format. Rahul Dravid at number 3 was a name which reassured millions in a cricket loving nation. He was a man who always put up his hand when the team needed him. His simplicity and humility set him apart. RD, the cricketer, has had a few controversies as well. Be it Multan’s declaration in 2004 or accusations of ball tampering, he has come out unscathed. But like every legend, there were a few lows too in his career. One of them was India’s early exit in the 2007 World Cup. The lean run in 2012 series in Australia, after some sparkling centuries, may have accelerated Dravid’s decision to retire keeping the best interests of the team in mind. Not even legends can outrun time. Sooner or later, it was to come. Probably the best tribute to Dravid was given when an England newspaper wrote- “Dravid is the kind of man you would want your son to grow into.” Dravid has retired but his glorious cover drives and pulls will always remain etched in the memories of millions. We can hope to see him in commentator’s box in near future. As Rahul Dravid said, ‘I walk off a sad but a proud man’. Every fan of his is sad but proud today.