A man who first stepped into international cricket when unorthodoxy was at its peak with pinch-hitters scoring runs defying the standard shots of cricket-A man who epitomises test cricket and is truly head and shoulders above everyone when it comes to technique and style-Yes,i am talking about the GREAT WALL OF INDIA-RAHUL DRAVID. The skills are as solid as they were 15 years ago,the style seems to have got better and better with each passing year but one thing never seems to change and that is his grit and concentration-Those have been rock solid as ever .Rahul Dravid has been one of the main pillars of the Indian batting line up with his blend of right technique and stylish shots. As he achieved the milestone ,here is a tribute to one of the greatest servants of INDIAN cricket.
22nd June,1996 ,INDIA was up against ENGLAND at Mecca of Cricket -The Lords. A young lad named Sourav Chandidas Ganguly was making a mark in international cricket with his well crafted century. Yet another interesting thing was that another batsman at the other end who was also making his debut was effortlessly churning runs with his exquisite strokes-His shots could have given unorthodoxy a run for its money. Unfortunately ,this slim,handsome lad missed out on a hundred and was dismissed for 95.But his classy innings and the grit to survive in the middle earned him a standing ovation from the crowd at Lords.This was indeed one of the classiest innings they had witnessed in a long time-The man was Rahul Dravid.
For a man whose affluent essay came out of perfection, temperament and technique, Rahul dravid has been INDIA’s go-to man in pressure situations and till date he has guarded the INDIAN kingdom with whole hearted devotion. He has been undoubtedly the best that INDIA has ever produced-in terms of technique, skills, grit and above all dependability.There is always a relief that INDIA can’t lose if Jammy is there in the middle. Dravid has earned this love and respect from his fans all over the world. People believe him because he has proved that he is worthy of it-Shouldering the hopes of billion fans is indeed a tedious task but for Dravid ,its an honour.
In a cricket crazy nation like INDIA,where cricketers are DEMI-GODS,and everyday a new controversy pops up,Dravid’s sheer down to earth nature and humble attitude has helped him stay away from controversies in-spite of so much media scrutiny.Rahul dravid started off as a shaky batsman with an apt technique,then came a phase wherein he became the sheet anchor and others played around him scoring runs freely and now with the advent of t20 , Dravid seems to have moulded himself into a new avatar-a player who now keeps pace with the innings,who not only smacks the bowlers out of the park(pretty unlike the real dravid) but also possesses an attitude that would make him reach the skies. Dravid’s greatness however is not limited to the no of runs he scores on the field.It is a potpourri of character,hard work and a genuinely good heart.Talent and character join hands to make consummate greatness-Dravid is a glittering example of that.A deeper scrutiny of his character shows his commitment towards INDIAN cricket-A selfless soul who always has always been a team-man and hwose personal records have been overshadowed by team heroics.
Now he called off for the day in. Dravid retires,the country will lose the greatest no 3 batsman it ever had, fans will be robbed of the privilege of watching this artist at work,media will mourn that he never got his due but most importantly,his departure will take away with itself a bit of gentle-manliness that the game tries to still portray as its inseparable element.He is a legend no matter what critics say-He has been the man responsible for taking INDIA to the numero uno status in test cricket and he will forver be the ICEMAN of team INDIA.
We’ll miss the toes which rise sweetly in sync with the pace of the approaching ball,standing tall and majestic and in control before disdainfully whacking the ball through the backward point. We’ll miss how he bats and bats and bats and saves the team from a moment of crisis.
Lets get awed by his mastery over something we will always run away from-STRUGGLE.
Long live the legend of Rahul dravid.
Hats off JAMMY!!
Adios
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