The Great Wall of Indian Cricket, Rahul Sharad Dravid has called it quits. Even as the superlatives tumble out for this superstar of India cricket, from here there and everywhere, be it the palm-fringed West Indian isle or a sleepy suburb of Australia or even from a place as far away as South Africa, the tributes paid by his fellow cricketers were all heartfelt and meaningful. Stand-in Aussie skipper Shane Watson, West Indies classy allrounder Chris Gayle and one of the best batsmen in South Africa, A B De Villiers were effusive and wholesome in their lavish praise of this genial cricketer who was as much a gentleman off the field as on it.
What made Dravid stand out from his peers? He was first, foremost and forever a team-man. Witness the sterling efforts scripted by this obdurate batsman whose resplendent class helped India in a winning cause, more often than not. For someone who believed that the team came before an individual, he had the guts as a captain to declare India’s innings when teammate Sachin Tendulkar (194 not out) was a few runs away from a coveted double century in 2004 against Pakistan in the Multan Test. True, he took a lot of flak for his decisiveness but the point is he had the guts and gumption to take this decision.
Therein lies the true tale of this humble cricketer’s greatness and it will only be his absence that will see India miss the splendid consistency of this peerless ‘ Mr Reliable’ in the future!