The Nice Guy who Finished First

The Wall, Rahul Dravid, turns 42 today... Phew!! That sounds old right?I still remember growing up watching him grind the opposition to dust in all types of conditions. Got a Green-Top Wicket?... Humid Conditions?... Overcast Conditions?...Following-On?...Batting Collapse? Injury Issues?.. Don't worry we have this Reliable person called Rahul Dravid on our side, he can take care of it. The man who never said never, who has more match-saving & match winning knocks than anyone else, one who lived for the pack, who achieved the epitome of success, all a test player could imagine, yet coming from the humblest of backgrounds. Yes, this is the story of Rahul Sharad Dravid, the Dark Knight of Indian Cricket.

The perfect footwork, the copy-book shots, the sound technique reflected the amount of hard-work put in by the Wall. The ability to bat for long, long hours was never noticed like this. From the ravishing cut-shot to the eye-pleasing cover drives, all described this man's abilities to counter all kinds of conditions against any bowling attack. Sachin was born with his talent, a one in a billion genius he was, but Dravid, he was all about hard-work , and grit, and determination. Every young cricketer aspires to be a Sachin, but every coach wants his student to be a Dravid first. 




Cricket is a game of partnerships, that is why Dravid's accomplishments often include some form of an important input from another player & not solo. He has played the most number of balls in test cricket, never dismissed for a first ball duck, played 90-odd consecutive tests since his debut, has featured in the most number of partnerships, most century partnerships and holds many more such records. Whats important is that along with all these records, he held the team together at all the times, dropping anchor at one end. The Viewers may have him boring, but he was the most technically sound batsman and the purists of the game enjoyed watching him. What appeared as a struggle, or slow scoring to the viewers, was Dravid protecting the batsmen at the other end from the new ball, or the in-form bowler, facing their destructive spells, grinding down on their confidence till they surrendered.

I still remember being an avid fan of Rahul since watching him score 76 against New Zealand in 2002. I was just 7 years old back then & didn't know what I adored so much in this man. Waking up at 5 AM just to watch you bat whenever the Indian team toured Australia, my parents were always shocked! What the hell is he doing so early in the morning??!!

Check out this conversation between Harsha Bhogle and Dravid....
This will make you wonder how a human being can be so selfless....
Harsha Bhogle to Dravid:
You made a very good hundred in Headingley
in 2002. Tell us about that.....Dravid:
Yeah that was a good innings but Sanjay
Bangar played well too. He was asked to open
on a tough pitch and fought very well. Its not
easy to do that......
Harsha Bhogle:
You were brilliant for India in test cricket
from 2002 to 2005
Dravid: But we won test matches because of
our brilliant spinners.....
Harbhajan and Kumble
used to take heaps of wickets on Day 4/5 of
the test match....
Harsha Bhogle:
That is how Rahul Dravid is. You tell him he
played well and he will tell you that somebody else played well too

It hurts, as a fan, when people compare Dravid & Tendulkar. Every player has his role in the team. Both of them contributed equally to the team if not more than the other. It hurts when people undermine Dravid's contributions by comparing him with Sachin, as if he did nothing throughout his career other than catching up with him. Whatever the stats may say, in my opinion, Rahul Dravid was a better test batsman than Sachin Tendulkar & perhaps he was the greatest Indian Test Batsman and I know deep down in your heart you agree with me may although you may not admit it.

There is a famous saying in Cricket "The Best Batsman of the team Bats at Number 3". Ever wondered why Dravid batted at 3 & Sachin at 4? Because Dravid was more reliable in tests. Simply saying, India WANTED Sachin to fire, but they NEEDED Dravid to fire. I have no intentions of disrespecting Sachin whatsoever, I just want to get my message across the masses. The 2 highest ODI stands in the history of cricket belong to Indian pairs, Dravid & Tendulkar's 331 against New Zealand followed by Ganguly & Dravid's 318 against Sri Lanka, both coming in 1999. Doesn't that say volumes about this great cricketer? He had a better overseas average as compared to his home average. Dravid won 8 of his 11 Man of the Match awards in overseas tests!
In the 21 matches under Saurav Ganguly, Dravid amassed 2,571 runs at an astonishing average of 102.84. These 21 matches had 9 hundreds, 3 of which were double hundreds.

Dravid debuted against England at Lord's on June 22, 1996 and scored a Brilliant 95. It was the same match in which Ganguly scored a century on his debut & was somewhat overshadowed by him. He had a bet with former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad that if Prasad would take 5 wickets & get his name up on the honor's board of the Lord's, Dravid would score a 100 too. However, he missed out by just 5 runs but fulfilled his promise 15 years later.

Dravid scored a masterclass 148 in difficult conditions at Johannesburg, his maiden hundred, and followed it with  an 81 in second innings to earn a valiant draw for India . This effort earned him the Man of The Match Award.

He became the third Indian Batsman to score twins centuries when he scored 190 & 103 against New Zealand at Hamilton in 1999 to earn another hard fought draw for India.

Laxman & Dravid during their 376 run stand

Then came the defining point for two greats of the Indian Cricket, Rahul Dravid after being dismissed by Warne twice in 3 innings was demoted to number 6 with Laxman replacing him at 3. Following-on in the 2nd innings, the two put on a mammoth 376 run partnership battling the heat for a 100 overs giving India a lead of 383 runs. An Australian downfall in the 2nd innings handed India an improbable triumph. The match has been called "The Greatest Test Ever" by many Cricket Experts.

In 2002, Dravid smashed 4 consecutive centuries. He scored 115, 148 & 217 in England and followed up with an unbeaten 100 against West Indies. The 148 scored at Headingley was a well compiled innings in difficult conditions. Though Tendulkar scored more runs than him, Dravid was adjudged Man Of The Match thanks to his great composure & negotiation of the new ball.

Dravid & Laxman during their 303 run stand.

2003: The stage was set for another Kolkata-esque miracle after Australia amassed 556 in Adelaide, the duo added a staggering 303 for the fifth wicket with the roles reversed, this time Dravid scored 233 & Laxman contributed 148, lifting India to 523. Dravid again leads India to a fantastic victory with an unbeaten 72. He also hits 90 plus scores in the remaining two Tests to top the Indian averages - 619 runs at a staggering 123.80.

After failing miserably in the first two tests against Pakistan in 2004, Dravid demolished the Pakistanis with a career best 270 leading India to their first test series win in Pakistan. He became the first man in the history of cricket to score a hundred in all test-playing nations when he scored 160 against Bangladesh in Chittagong, a record which can only be equaled.

Dravid was named the ICC Test player of the year and player of the year in September 2004 at the Inaugural ICC Cricket Awards.

He starred once again at Eden Gardens in 2005 scoring 110 & 135 in a single game against Pakistan hurting them badly. In 2006, against the same opposition, he scored 128 not out combining with Virender Sehwag to produce an astonishing opening stand of 410 runs.

India conquered in West Indies after 35 long years in 2007 thanks to Dravid's impeccable contributions, shielding & dodging his way to the scores of 81 & 68 in a single game, where no other batsman could settle down.

He was dropped from the ODI squad in 2007 for evidently no real reasons, but was later recalled in 2009 for the Champions Trophy to be held in South Africa due to India's woes against short pitched bowling. He scored an unbeated 76 in a defeat against Pakistan which ultimately caused India's exit from the event but was still dropped from the one day side.

Dravid scored an invaluable 93 at Perth in the 2007-08 tour to Australia, helping India to another famous victory. 

With his yogic concentration, Dravid was arguably the best slip catcher in the world. He holds the record for most number of test catches by a non-wicket keeper in Tests with 210 catches. His 200th catch came in an away series against New Zealand in 2009 in which he scored 4 fifties in 5 innings. He then scored back-to-back centuries against Sri Lanka to end a lean patch.

A late revival came in England for The Wall, when all the other batsmen failed badly in swinging conditions, Rahul Dravid smashed 3 centuries in India's 4-0 drubbing by England. In the fourth test at the Oval, Dravid carried his bat with an unbeaten 146, opening for India. He finished the series with 461 runs at an average of 76, whereas all the Indian batsmen around him surrendered against the seam & swing of the England Bowlers. Dravid ended 2011 with 5 centuries in his bag and was the leading run-scorer in the world for the year.

On the back of his performance in the test series, Dravid was called back to the Indian one day side. He smashed Samit Patel for 3 consecutive sixes in his one and only T20 innings of 31(21). Dravid announced his retirement from ODIs after the series. He scored 69 off 78 in his last ODI innings.

India fared badly in the 2011-12 tour of Australia & Dravid could score only one half century from 8 innings. Australia won the series 4-0 after which Dravid quietly announced his retirement in a press conference. 

"My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride."

Truly, a gentleman loved & adored by all, he served the nation for 16 years without asking for anything. He played in the shadow of some greats and quietly faded into the shadows after the Australian tour of 2011-12.

Thank You Rahul Dravid for giving yourself to the team selflessly, for being Mr Dependable, for Inspiring the nation as a player, and as a person. Many Great Batsmen will Come and Go, but there will never be another Wall like him!




And for those of you who may be questioning Dravid's abilities in ODI cricket please take a look at these:
Rahul Dravid 50 off 22 Balls against New Zealand
Rahul Dravid 92 off 63 Balls against England
Rahul Dravid 85 off 63 Balls against Sri Lanka
These are just some of the innings in the list ;)

"Rahul improved my cricket and helped me develop the way I think about the game. His generosity will stay with me always."

“My playing of spin has gone up a number of levels since I’ve spent time in the IPL, and in particular, since I’ve spoken to Rahul Dravid…In England, batsmen get taught to play with the spin against spin bowlers. In India, the best players of spin get taught to play against it.” he added.

Dravid's mail to Kevin Pietersen when asked for advice can be seen here:

Rahul Dravid is the most respected cricketer in world cricket, and comments from Pietersen in his book further solidified his image as an all-time Great.

Related:
Most Debatable Quotes from Kevin Pietersen's Autobiography
Glenn McGrat tweets praise about Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid joins Laureus World Sports Academy

Former India cricket captain & Legend Rahul Dravid has been elected as the  the 47th member of the panel of Laureus World Sports Academy, becoming the newest member . 

Dravid, arguably the best India batsmen in Test cricket, was at a school on Wednesday in London, meeting young coaches who are trained with support from the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

Dravid said: "It is a great privilege to be invited to join the Academy and I look forward to supporting the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. I am truly honoured to be recognised alongside some of the greatest sportsmen and women we have ever seen.

"Sport has given me so much, and it is wonderful to now have the opportunity to make a difference in other people's lives."

Steve Waugh, who retired in January 2004, as the greatest test captain with 41 wins from 57 matches, welcomed Dravid by saying "On behalf of all the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy I would like to welcome Rahul. He achieved amazing success in an illustrious career. He was so pugnacious and determined when he was at the crease, he could have been an Aussie."

Sir Ian Botham was not able to make it through to London, but said: "Rahul had an incredible temperament and was a run-making machine. He was immovable and could stay there for hours. No wonder they called him 'The Wall'. 

"I am delighted that he will be joining us in the Laureus Academy. I look forward to welcoming him."

In the 2011 tour of England, when India were thumped 4-0 by England, Dravid was the only standout batsman.

Alastair Cook says his England captaincy should not be blamed for his poor form with the bat & he will lead from the front when the five-match Test series against India begins at Nottingham on Wednesday, 9th July.

Cook has not scored a Test ton in 24 innings since his 130 against NZ at Headingley in May 2013 and scoring just 78 runs in 4 innings against SL last month. 

But he told a news conference on Tuesday that he does not feel out of form, despite coming under pressure not just for his scarcity of runs but also a lack of attacking instinct as captain.

"I never have felt that I've been hitting the ball particularly badly this summer - I scored some runs for Essex at the beginning of the season and I haven't managed to transform that into runs for England," he said.

"I know how important it is at the top of the order to do that and I'm desperately keen to lead from the front and score some runs.

"As a batter especially, you're in there because you are one of the top 6 batters in the country and your job is to score the runs to set up the game for England. Doesn't matter if you're captain or not.

"I haven't been doing that over the last year or so, and no-one's keener than me to put that right," he added. "I know I've got to score runs at the top of the order in this series." 

Cook did not think leading the team had interfered with his job of laying a strong platform for England's middle order, his side failing to register a win in their past 8 Tests & slump to series defeat to Aussies & SL.

Rahul Dravid has been asked to mentor the younger players as they look to win their 1st Test overseas since 2011.

"We wanted a mentor with the side who can talk about his past experience, a lot of stuff but not just talking about technical things," wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni told reporters.

"A lot of it is [Dravid] interacting with the youngsters, & they are comfortable talking to him.

source: http://sports.ndtv.com/england-vs-india-2014/news/226643-alastair-cook-aiming-for-much-needed-runs-against-india