"Finally I would like to thank the Indian cricket fan both here and across the world. The game is lucky to have you and I have been lucky to play before you. You represent India and just to represent you has been a privilege and one I have always taken very seriously. My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple, it was about giving everything for the team, it was about playing with dignity and about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness, but also with pride." These are the few elite lines which was said by a great cricketing stalwart Rahul Sharad Dravid on his retirement press conference. It was one of the hardest decision which he has ever had to take. It will be interesting to see who will fill the void of Rahul Dravid. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are likely to get this trot.
During his remarkable sixteen years of stint, Dravid attained many cricketing feat. For his patience and temperament in the game, he is recognized by the such type of nickname “ The Wall” and “Mr. Dependable”. He played 164 Tests and 344 ODI matches in which he scored 13,288 and 10,889 runs respectively. He holds record for maximum runs (10,524) batting at No. 3 position. He became the first player to score centuries in every Test-playing nation. He was involved in two of the largest partnerships in ODIs: a 318-run
partnership with Sourav Ganguly, the first pair to combine for a 300-run
partnership, and then a 331-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar,
which is the present world record. He was also the leading run scorer in
the 1999 World Cup with 461 runs. He has faced the highest number of deliveries and holds the record for maximum catches in Test matches with 31,258 and 210 tally respectively. He has also been involved in 88 century partnerships and has been involved in 20 century partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar – a world record.
Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2000. He was also awarded the ICC Player of the Year and the Test Player of the Year at the inaugural ICC awards ceremony held in 2004. He became the first non-Australian cricketer to address at the Bradman Oration in Canberra. In the all-time best batsmen list, he accommodate No.30 position. In 1998 and 2004, he was awarded the Arjuna award and Padma Shri respectively, by the Government of India.
In his long career, he played a lot of memorable innings but the match-winning effort of Adelaide Test 2003 was the greatest. It was the first time in last two decade, India prevailed over Australia in Australia. By scoring 233 runs and 72 runs (not out) in 1st and 2nd innings respectively, he negated the effort of Ricky Ponting. Every Indian can’t forget that winning moment when Dravid celebrated the triumph with raising his both hands in the sky.
Each new step, each new adventure, brings new richness. Every new dawn brings a totally new world around you. Every decision perfects when it is taken for a right purpose, at a right place and on a right time. Everything is all right but this is not a right place. It is very sadden moment of Dravid’s fan who really want to give a farewell standing ovation to their legend wearing Indian Jersey in a packed stadium. Perhaps, all good things will have to an end.
Dravid’s contributions are remarkable in Indian Cricket. He didn’t enjoy keep wicket but took it as a challenge, to see how good he could be. Due to this acceptance of challenge, India was the runner-up of 2003 World Cup. Mostly people forget a great contribution of Dravid which give a new height of Indian Cricket after a long time before world. “Any senior player will not play international T-20 cricket”, this decision was taken by Dravid and it was absolutely right. Finally, India lift ICC T-20 World Cup 2007 with a young gun.
Talent without hard work does not carry you far. Dravid combined both. He was a great student of a game. Modern cricket didn’t see a better batsmen who knew which ball to leave. His batting was trade mark, a throwback to the good old days of textbook cricket. He epitomized it perfectly. He was the master at staying patient for long, long periods of time. Truly, Dravid is impregnable for opposition.
He played in an era of many great players but at the time of retirement, he acknowledged as a legend. Whenever somebody says cricket is a gentlemen’s game, Rahul dravid is the perfect example. Rahul Dravid, a man of indomitable will, retires...cricket loses one of its finest batsmen, sportmen, one of its finest gentlemen but his legacy will live on. Dravid’s retirement is the biggest lose of cricket in last two decade. Nobody shall come another man like this. Cricket fans will now miss seeing a player in whites, walking in at one-down and quelling aggressive bowlers. Really, Rahul Dravid is the Roger Federer of Cricket.
MISS YOU JAMMY
