Statistics can never tell the entire story but, his 36 Test centuries at an average of above 52, speak of his unique contribution to the Indian team. Dravid’s greatness cannot be measured by his on-field exploits alone. The class and grace with which he conducted himself only added to his reputation. In a team that has been pilloried for its arrogance, no one ever had a bad word to say about the humble Dravid. Added to his innate politeness was an unparalleled eloquence. His speech as the first non-Australian to deliver the Bradman Address in Melbourne late last year, was brutal in its honesty and disarming with its wit and elegance.
It is unlikely that a cricketer like Dravid will grace the international stage again. His classical technique, straight out of the Lord’s coaching manual, is an anachronism in this age of Twenty20s. There is a growing fear that cricketers, especially batsmen from India, have grown soft as they become instant superstars, but that was never a problem for him. He thrived on adversity and was often at his best while the rest of the team struggled in alien conditions. His performances during the tours of South Africa in 1997 and England in 2011, may not have been enough to prevent Indian defeats but they showed that Dravid never gave up even when his teammates weren’t up to the task. It is only now when we have lost his talents, that we will come to appreciate his greatness.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2012.
COMMENTS (14)
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@Cynical, They do bite balls, which hurts their image in the public.
Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi are also great players but they were never shown this kind of respect.Is it because they are from Pakistan?
He was a great player and the author is correct - he has not been recognized adequately by the world for his services to this game while maintaining a level of humility that is rarely seen in superstar cricketers or sportsmen these days. Salute to Dravid from Pakistan- and I wish he could become the next Pak batting coach! LOLS. We def need someone like him. Cheers.
Great batsman and great player. Wish Pakistan can find a batsman of his class !!
@Peer Sain: i agree with u.Azharuddin never played for personal records.he was more interested in gaining money by fixing matches.
@Zeta 'only indian cricketer i have deep respects for.'
Thank you for small mercies.
only indian cricketer i have deep respects for. Man of pure class
Congrats Dravid - we will miss you - you made the Sub-continent proud. With love from Pakistan.
Remarkable batsman, fielder and wicket keeper too when the occasion demanded. A solid wall for the team. Always played for the team never for himself like some others. The only other player who played only and only for the team regardless of personal records was Azharuddin, to be honest. Thank you Dravid you have entertained us a lot and now enjoy yourself. In Pakistan I have seen the maximum fan following for Dravid followed by Sachin of course. Pakistan loves you Dravid.
If Sachin is the god of Cricket then Rahul is the Prophet. His fame transcended all the borders and so is his contribution to the game. Calling his achievement an Indian achievement will be wrong as he truly was the perfect role model for the game of cricket,not just for India.
P.S. Dont insult Sachin by passing insinuating statements about his retirement.Sachin,Rahul and VVS have done great things to know when they should stop.Calling Sachin a selfish person or someone who plays for record is an insult to all those who love the game.
@Rumasa: I think you already had one, Zaheer Abbas. If my memory from 30+ years ago is not wrong.
He was a great cricketer.... salute from Pakistan
I will miss Dravid, i have always wished that Pakistan would get someone like him.