"Rahul Dravid"---the moment you hear this name
"thought of Respect" seems to be a natural phenomenon. And for your
mind it’s inevitable but to generate spontaneous thoughts of "Discipline”,
Calmness, Flexibility, Steadiness, patience...etc when the name “Rahul Dravid”
is the stimulus. The reason is straight
forward.The legend of "Rahul Dravid" is an epitome of all these...
A gentleman in the truest sense played his
entire cricket career in the same gentle man spirit. Never ever was he in news
for scandals, nor for any bad behaviour.His entire cricket career seemed to be
a metaphor of gentlemanship.Well I think whoever named Cricket as
gentleman’s game must have foreseen the occurrence of Rahul Dravid in Cricket.
"The Wall" (as he is popularly
known as) was a part of many mindblowing, most entertaining, match winning
partnerships. While the other involved in the partnership went on to make the
top score, Rahul at the other end would just make sure that they are supported
very well and aren’t experiencing any pressure.
"Well
the wall was very flexible too...".Ask him to open the innings or bat in
the middle order, Ask him to keep the wickets or field at point, slip or even
at short leg at times. He was there in every role giving his 100 percent.Infact
in the earlier days of Indian cricket when Indian players thought that "fielding
isn't actually part of cricket: P" it was he who set high
standards of fielding...and even wicket keeping too...
Many bowlers have undergone unpredictably high
amount of irritation/restlessness while
bowling to Rahul Dravid. Bowlers of the likes of Shohaib Akhtar, Glenn Mcgrath,
Brett lee covered miles to bowl a ball, and dravid was happy enough to leave
the ball, to the safe gloves of keeper or play a defensive shot ...thus withering away the bowlers. I guess patience was flawlessly
and skillfully induced in his DNA.
A very trusted overseas player for India.
While other players were figuring out the bounce and speed in pitches of
England,SouthAfrica , Australia etc ...Rahul Dravid went on to make 100s and
biggies on those surfaces.
He was
good Captain too...He led India to a decent amt of wins in major formats...His
ability as a captain was unleashed in the recent IPL, wherin even after having
"fixed" players in the team he made sure he led the team to playoffs...In
fact among all the legends it was him who adapted to the 20-20 format
effortlessly.
“Now
that he has quit all forms of Cricket, Cricket is experiencing a big VOID.”
By the
way we have seen him a few times as a commentator, and as usual he looks great
in that role too. I wish "Cricket" will get services of Rahul dravid
in the form of Commentator at least.
"Take my
Bow...Rahul Dravid"
I think because of people like Rahul, the game is called Gentleman's game. Hats off to you Sir.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you totally. I think being the second highest run getter in Test cricket, he was not given the due for the contribution he made to the test cricket. However, he is and will be kept in high esteem in the generation to come for he played for the nation and not for himself. I am sure very soon we will see him knighted by Britain so that we can call him SIR.
ReplyDeleteya hope he will be Knighted soon ..
ReplyDelete