Happy Birthday Rahul Dravid-The Wall

Happy Birthday Rahul Dravid

11th January 1973 was the day when one of the most technically gifted batsmen of the independent India was born, the day when GENTLEMAN of the GENTLEMEN’s game was born and that Gentleman is none other than India’s rock solid number 3, Rahul Sharad Dravid. He turns 42 today and in the life span of 42 years he has made his family proud, Game of cricket proud and more pertinently his nation proud.

Early Life  

Born in a Marathi family Rahul started playing cricket at an age of 12 and represented India at U-15, U-17 and U-19 level. He made his first class debut at an age of 18 in 1991 and soon with some stellar performance in the Ranji Trophy for Karnataka, he was selected in the Indian Test team to tour of England in 1996. Utilizing that opportunity to full effect Rahul made a classy 96 on his Test debut and enchanted every fervent follower of the game with his watertight technique and exemplary temperament. With some consistent performance he became a regular member in Test team but since he was not a flamboyant batsman and an extravagant stroke maker so question mark were always raised on his prowess as an ODI batsman, Then came the English summer of 1999 when Rahul Dravid cleared all the doubts over his credentials as an ODI batsman as he scored 461 runs in 8 innings which included a rapid fire 145 against Sri Lanka.

King of Partnerships

The 376 runs partnership with VVS Laxman in the famous Eden Garden Test back in 2001 started Rahul’s romance with huge partnerships, and his love carried on for eternity. He was instrumental in Indian overseas victories and probably the differentiating factor of India being a good team from an average one on the foreign soil. His knocks at Headingly and Adelaide stand out in his illustrious career.

Headingly 183

‘Dark clouds in the sky and green top beneath’ these nightmarish conditions were prevalent at the Headingly when Rahul Dravid came into bat and nonchalantly negotiated every vicious delivery form the English bowlers that came his way. He batted for six long hours and his partnership ensured India put up a mammoth total of 628 which eventually turned out to be a match winning score in the end.

Adelaide 233

This was the ‘cometh the hour cometh the man’ kind of an innings which exemplified the grit, determination and the devotion of the man. His partnership with VVS Laxman laid the foundation of one of the most famous win on the foreign soil.

In 2003-04 came the pinnacle point of his career when he was judged the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player of the year and test player of the year on the bank of some sumptuous performance through out the year in both the long and the shorter format.

Rahul as a Human being

Amidst these astronomical landmarks the thing that places Rahul Dravid ahead of any other cricketer was his humility. While batting, he never played a shot in anger and on field he never spoke a word in anguish and that does not mean he did not care about his batting it just meant he kept his aggression to himself and let the bat do the talking. His aggression and determination was evident in his eyes.

Once Brett lee beautifully summed up Rahul Dravid as an individual he said and I quote “If you can’t get along with Rahul Dravid you just can’t get along with anyone in your life.”

He is the type of a person on and off the field which every mother wants his son to be like, a dependable person like him is a dream of every woman and a hard-working man like him is a perfect son which any father could ask for.

Rahul – The Selfless cricketer

Rahul Dravid is a kind of cricketer who would walk on broken glasses if his team required him to do that, was a telling statement which beautifully epitomizes the selfless attitude of Rahul as a cricketer. After Sourav Ganguly took charge of Indian team, India was struggling to find a Wicket Keeper batsman and in order to play 7 genuine batsman,team management decided to give him the responsibility of permanent wicket keeper which he gleefully accepted. Dravid played both the roles wonderfully well and was a pivotal reason behind good performance of India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 .

Players will come and go but it would be almost impossible to replicate the dedication, devotion, commitment, and work ethics which Rahul Dravid has shown over the years in his professional and non-professional cricketing career. Rahul, you are an absolute epitome of how a person should carry himself around at workplace and at rest. Even today while commentating for international matches, one cannot help but notice his criticism being soft and positive as well and that is exactly the type of person he is.

Many happy returns of the day again wish you all the success in whatever you do in future in your life !