"If I have to put anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis or Dravid". - Brian Lara
It was summer of 2006. A 15 year old boy was in hospital. He couldn't watch the last test of India-West Indies test series there. First 3 matches had been draw. And last match was on uneven pitch of Jamaica. If India could win this match, it would be their first series victory on West Indian soil after 1971.
The fact that Chris Gayle made a pair on his home ground is good enough to give us a picture of the pitch. It was late in a night that boy was listening to commentary, when that historical moment came. India won a test series in West Indies after 35 years, second time only in the history. For a few minutes he forgot everything about health. For some time every Indian forgot about all their problems. That victory gave that boy the strength to fight his illness.
Rahul Dravid's career is full of such inspiring moments. Whether it is his hundred at Headingley, or his partnerships with VVS Laxman in Kolkata and Adelaide, or his fifties in Jamaica. Rahul Dravid is not God. He was never a God. He didn't have the perfection of Tendulkar or Stroke Play of Lara. He has always been a Human. And a great one.
Where is the fun in being God? They have it easy (generally, I think). The best thing about being a human is the struggle and challenge that is the part of our very existance. And that is where Rahul Dravid teaches us the most important lesson. It's more than cricket. It's about anything we do in our life. We all have our limitations, but with a fighting attitude, we can overcome them. Thanx to Rahul Dravid for this important lesson.
For most of his career he was overshadowed by others. His 95 on his debut at Lords was overshadowed by Ganguly's hundred. His 180 at Eden Gardens overshadowed by Laxman's 281. For most of his career his contribution to the team was overshadowed by more pleasing and attractive game of others. But he was a complete gentleman. Such small stuff never affected his personality, or his game.
"Rahul Dravid is a player who would walk on broken glass if his team asks him to" - Navjot Singh Sidhu
An ideal selfless team player he was. He opened in test cricket when team needed him to. He took role of wicket-keeper when team needed him to do that. He was considered unfit for ODIs, the man has more than 10,000 runs in the shorter format of the game. He holds record for second fastest fifty in one-dayers for India. The man just loved challenges. There was nothing that he couldn't do.
Of all his innings, his 233 at Adelaide is my favorite. That was Rahul Dravid at his best. What a great effort it was. With that innings he saved the match, and with his 72* in the second innings, he went on to win the match for India. The best part of that innings was the way he got his 100, by pulling Gillespie for six. And people thought only Virendra Sehwag could do that.
"All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes" - Mathew Hayden
Apart from his performance on the field, Rahul Dravid was a perfect gentleman and great ambassador of the game. He can be counted as one of the last true gentlemen of the gentlemen's game. One of the finest batsmen of his generation. He was in the league of Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting. The best number 3 batsman in the history of Indian cricket. And as Harsha Bhogle once wrote that whenever an all time India team will be chosen, along with opening position and number 4 position, number 3 will also be already taken.
Today when he has said good bye to the game, the game has got poorer. It won't be same without him. Indian cricket won't be same without him. The Mr. Dependable for last 16 years has left the stage empty. And on this day, that boy gives his tribute to Rahul Dravid, a true genius. Thanx for the memories. It was an honor watching you play. We'll miss you.
He is a perfect role model for youngsters. He has set a great example for all of us to follow. We are all trying to follow that path," - Sachin Tendulkar
It was summer of 2006. A 15 year old boy was in hospital. He couldn't watch the last test of India-West Indies test series there. First 3 matches had been draw. And last match was on uneven pitch of Jamaica. If India could win this match, it would be their first series victory on West Indian soil after 1971.
The fact that Chris Gayle made a pair on his home ground is good enough to give us a picture of the pitch. It was late in a night that boy was listening to commentary, when that historical moment came. India won a test series in West Indies after 35 years, second time only in the history. For a few minutes he forgot everything about health. For some time every Indian forgot about all their problems. That victory gave that boy the strength to fight his illness.
Rahul Dravid's career is full of such inspiring moments. Whether it is his hundred at Headingley, or his partnerships with VVS Laxman in Kolkata and Adelaide, or his fifties in Jamaica. Rahul Dravid is not God. He was never a God. He didn't have the perfection of Tendulkar or Stroke Play of Lara. He has always been a Human. And a great one.
Where is the fun in being God? They have it easy (generally, I think). The best thing about being a human is the struggle and challenge that is the part of our very existance. And that is where Rahul Dravid teaches us the most important lesson. It's more than cricket. It's about anything we do in our life. We all have our limitations, but with a fighting attitude, we can overcome them. Thanx to Rahul Dravid for this important lesson.
For most of his career he was overshadowed by others. His 95 on his debut at Lords was overshadowed by Ganguly's hundred. His 180 at Eden Gardens overshadowed by Laxman's 281. For most of his career his contribution to the team was overshadowed by more pleasing and attractive game of others. But he was a complete gentleman. Such small stuff never affected his personality, or his game.
"Rahul Dravid is a player who would walk on broken glass if his team asks him to" - Navjot Singh Sidhu
An ideal selfless team player he was. He opened in test cricket when team needed him to. He took role of wicket-keeper when team needed him to do that. He was considered unfit for ODIs, the man has more than 10,000 runs in the shorter format of the game. He holds record for second fastest fifty in one-dayers for India. The man just loved challenges. There was nothing that he couldn't do.
Of all his innings, his 233 at Adelaide is my favorite. That was Rahul Dravid at his best. What a great effort it was. With that innings he saved the match, and with his 72* in the second innings, he went on to win the match for India. The best part of that innings was the way he got his 100, by pulling Gillespie for six. And people thought only Virendra Sehwag could do that.
"All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes" - Mathew Hayden
Apart from his performance on the field, Rahul Dravid was a perfect gentleman and great ambassador of the game. He can be counted as one of the last true gentlemen of the gentlemen's game. One of the finest batsmen of his generation. He was in the league of Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting. The best number 3 batsman in the history of Indian cricket. And as Harsha Bhogle once wrote that whenever an all time India team will be chosen, along with opening position and number 4 position, number 3 will also be already taken.
Today when he has said good bye to the game, the game has got poorer. It won't be same without him. Indian cricket won't be same without him. The Mr. Dependable for last 16 years has left the stage empty. And on this day, that boy gives his tribute to Rahul Dravid, a true genius. Thanx for the memories. It was an honor watching you play. We'll miss you.
He is a perfect role model for youngsters. He has set a great example for all of us to follow. We are all trying to follow that path," - Sachin Tendulkar
awe-fucking-some
ReplyDeleteYou really are a 'cricket lover'.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
Super post . An awesome tribute to a "human" immortal player :)
ReplyDeleteMotiani at his best! Your emotions just flow through the post!!
ReplyDeleteNice! I hope you will not have to write about sachin though.
ReplyDeleteThanx Nitin for the glowing tribute to my favourite star.Sachin is destined to be great, and Dravid is determined to be great.
ReplyDeleteloved it man.
ReplyDeleteif there is someone i want to be like
its Rahul Dravid without any second thought.