"It is better to retire when people ask ‘WHY?’ rather than ‘WHY NOT?’”, said Vijay Merchant, when he was asked why he was retiring, and that is the way it has been with Rahul Dravid. Today, Dravid announced his retirement from all forms of International cricket.
(Photo Credits: The Guardian)
Rahul Dravid has been one of the greatest batsmen to ever play the game of cricket. I, as an ardent Dravid fan, am extremely sad to see him leave. Do I support him because he is a Bangalorean, or because he was a class apart from the rest, or because he is a humble and down-to-earth person, or because he gave it all for his country? I think it is because of all these reasons and many more that words cannot express.
The sound of the ball hitting the willow was the sweetest when it came off Dravid's bat. His impeccable timing of the cricket ball, his perseverance, and his text-book strokes, are somethings that no one can match. The whole world acknowledged his talent. Sadly, his own country didn't do it enough. Unfortunately for him, he was blanketed by the eye-catching Sachin Tendulkar. For me, Dravid, in many ways, is a better batsman compared to Sachin. I was sad when another great of Indian cricket, Anil Kumble, retired from competitive cricket, sadder when Rahul Dravid retired from ODIs, and today, I feel much sadder.
People forget the times when he kept wickets for the Indian team. People forget the number of catches he has taken in the slips (one of the toughest places to field on the cricket field). People forget the times when he captained India, at a time when no one else stepped up. And, people forget the times when he has won (and drawn) matches, single-handedly, for India. The stats above, show a staggering difference between his batting average when India won and drew its matches, as compared to the times it lost. Dravid is an unsung hero of Indian Cricket.
Rahul Dravid is a LEGEND.
Thank you Dravid, for the wonderful memories.
Things will move on but it will not be the same without the calming, assured presence of Dravid walking out at the fall of the first Indian wicket. The gentle raising of the bat, the shoulders stretched wide in celebration on reaching yet another landmark, all following his literally sweating bucketfuls, will no longer be on view. Oppositions the world over will rejoice, bowlers will jump with joy in the knowledge that they will not have to work so hard to get a single wicket. Batsmen who had got used to their nicks being gobbled up at slip by the man with the safest pair of hands will sigh in relief, but to a man they will also agree that the game itself will be poorer for his absence.
0 comments:
Post a Comment