Rahul Dravid - popularly known as "The Wall" and "Jammy" announced his retirement today from all forms of international and first-class cricket at his home ground, the Chinnaswamy Stadium, in the presence of friends, family and media.
Dravid is regarded by many to be one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the game. But as said sport and fairytales do not always go hand in hand, and for Rahul Dravid, an otherwise glorious international cricketing career did not end in a befitting manner. His retirement from international and first-class cricket today comes on the back of a disastrous tour of Australia where he was bowled six times in eight innings of the four Tests, with just one half-century, a record that was in stark contrast to the five centuries in 10 Tests in the second half of 2011.
Dravid entered the function room straight into a scrum of photographers, looking almost apologetic at having caused such a fuss. He began by reading out his statement, his voice steady as he listed the people who'd played a part in every stage of his career - coaches, selectors, trainers, physios, officials, team-mates, family, even the media. He ended with the Indian cricket fan. "The game is lucky to have you and I have been lucky to play before you… My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity and it was 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."
The decision to retire was not sudden, he said, the period of contemplation had lasted over a year as he assessed his game series after series. The disappointment of the Australia tour had not given him any 'eureka' moment around his decision to leave the game. "I didn't take the decision based on one series… these decisions are based on a lot of other things, it's the culmination of a lot of things. I needed to be sure I was playing the game for the right reasons. I have done that for 16 years. I have had a great run. It's not like I have woken up one morning and decided to retire. At the end of the day, I knew I had to go. I didn't feel the need to drag on any longer. I felt it was the right time for me to move on, for a next generation of cricketers to play and take the team forward ...a lot of these decisions just come to you in different ways ...I just felt the time was right. I needed to move on" he said.
On the high and lows in his long career, David said, "When you play for 16 years, you will face highs and lows. There have been many disappointments and great highs. There is a huge sense of satisfaction that I have always given it my best shot. I have left no stone unturned in trying to become the best cricketer I can become. Absolutely no regrets."
The praise he would probably cherish the most is that he was acknowledged as the ultimate team man, willing to sacrifice his own interests for the team's cause as he did in the ODIs. Although he had started out as a wicket-keeper, Dravid shunned the big gloves, but in the mid-phase of his India career, he agreed to don them again so that the team could accommodate an extra batsman. He also agreed to open the innings for the same reason. Few cared to ask the man whether he enjoyed the additional responsibilities, but the equanimity with which he discharged the duties, his reluctance to keep wickets or open the innings was not noticed.
Never a natural athlete, Dravid's immense levels of concentration and hard work got him the deserved success and respect. He is one of the last classical Test match batsmen the world has seen and a true gentleman. Resilience was his greatest virtue that more often than not extricated his team from troubled waters and earned him such sobriquets as "Mr Dependable" and "The Wall"
"This game is not about winning alone, it’s about a culture deep in your bone... Of how you play on and off the field, Of how you defend, how you appeal..."
In cricket, it is said a player is only as good as his last innings, and so much the pity that Dravid couldn't finish his career on a high, though the tour of Australia in no way diminishes his stature as one of the modern greats. This day became the perfect final image of Rahul Dravid, leaving behind only memories of an era that he dominated but never quite received the accolades he deserved. However, he lent dignity and grace to Indian cricket, something that cannot be said of many players.
"As he bids adieu to the hallowed game, Marking his feet in the Hall of Fame... One more point will strengthen his case: He excelled in dignity, exited in grace... "
Dravid is regarded by many to be one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the game. But as said sport and fairytales do not always go hand in hand, and for Rahul Dravid, an otherwise glorious international cricketing career did not end in a befitting manner. His retirement from international and first-class cricket today comes on the back of a disastrous tour of Australia where he was bowled six times in eight innings of the four Tests, with just one half-century, a record that was in stark contrast to the five centuries in 10 Tests in the second half of 2011.
Dravid entered the function room straight into a scrum of photographers, looking almost apologetic at having caused such a fuss. He began by reading out his statement, his voice steady as he listed the people who'd played a part in every stage of his career - coaches, selectors, trainers, physios, officials, team-mates, family, even the media. He ended with the Indian cricket fan. "The game is lucky to have you and I have been lucky to play before you… My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity and it was 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."
The decision to retire was not sudden, he said, the period of contemplation had lasted over a year as he assessed his game series after series. The disappointment of the Australia tour had not given him any 'eureka' moment around his decision to leave the game. "I didn't take the decision based on one series… these decisions are based on a lot of other things, it's the culmination of a lot of things. I needed to be sure I was playing the game for the right reasons. I have done that for 16 years. I have had a great run. It's not like I have woken up one morning and decided to retire. At the end of the day, I knew I had to go. I didn't feel the need to drag on any longer. I felt it was the right time for me to move on, for a next generation of cricketers to play and take the team forward ...a lot of these decisions just come to you in different ways ...I just felt the time was right. I needed to move on" he said.
On the high and lows in his long career, David said, "When you play for 16 years, you will face highs and lows. There have been many disappointments and great highs. There is a huge sense of satisfaction that I have always given it my best shot. I have left no stone unturned in trying to become the best cricketer I can become. Absolutely no regrets."
The praise he would probably cherish the most is that he was acknowledged as the ultimate team man, willing to sacrifice his own interests for the team's cause as he did in the ODIs. Although he had started out as a wicket-keeper, Dravid shunned the big gloves, but in the mid-phase of his India career, he agreed to don them again so that the team could accommodate an extra batsman. He also agreed to open the innings for the same reason. Few cared to ask the man whether he enjoyed the additional responsibilities, but the equanimity with which he discharged the duties, his reluctance to keep wickets or open the innings was not noticed.
Never a natural athlete, Dravid's immense levels of concentration and hard work got him the deserved success and respect. He is one of the last classical Test match batsmen the world has seen and a true gentleman. Resilience was his greatest virtue that more often than not extricated his team from troubled waters and earned him such sobriquets as "Mr Dependable" and "The Wall"
"This game is not about winning alone, it’s about a culture deep in your bone... Of how you play on and off the field, Of how you defend, how you appeal..."
In cricket, it is said a player is only as good as his last innings, and so much the pity that Dravid couldn't finish his career on a high, though the tour of Australia in no way diminishes his stature as one of the modern greats. This day became the perfect final image of Rahul Dravid, leaving behind only memories of an era that he dominated but never quite received the accolades he deserved. However, he lent dignity and grace to Indian cricket, something that cannot be said of many players.
"As he bids adieu to the hallowed game, Marking his feet in the Hall of Fame... One more point will strengthen his case: He excelled in dignity, exited in grace... "
No comments:
Post a Comment