Salute Dravid

This is what I wrote in my column for cricinfo.com in August 2001.

Dravid has shown character time and time again, taking not only criticism, sometimes unfair, in his stride, but also being moved around in the batting order from his customary No. 3 slot. He has scored runs against all comers, under varying conditions. He has also held some magnificent catches close to the wicket, besides keeping wicket in emergencies. In short, Rahul Dravid is the ultimate team man in the Steve Waugh mould.

Such an inspiring record notwithstanding, few critics have described the Indian vice captain as one of the greats of the contemporary game. The reason might be that he has not played a match winning innings of epic proportions the way Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Waugh and Brian Lara have. His Kolkata marathon was unfortunately overshadowed by Laxman's 281, and some of his brilliant efforts have stopped short of winning or saving matches for India.

“I believe that Dravid belongs to the category of greats, but has to do a couple of things before he wraps it up, so to say. To score Test runs in Australia is one of them. Winning or drawing a Test match off his own bat is another. “Today, Dravid has done both, all in the space of two innings. Today, I salute one of the world’s greatest batsmen. Rahul Dravid, who, during the course of two unforgettable innings at Adelaide, has shown every attribute that goes to make a great batsman. It was only months ago that he followed up a brilliant double century against New Zealand with a breezy 73, throwing the bat at everything in the most unselfish manner possible, and sacrificing his wicket in the team’s cause, while fully in sight of a second innings hundred as well.

Today, at Adelaide, it was his job not to lose his wicket in the final chase. True to his reputation, he stood there unperturbed, and guided India to victory, with some help from the out of form Sachin Tendulkar and his record breaking partner VVS Laxman. Fittingly, his companion at the crease when he scored the winning runs, was the unexpected bowling hero of the match, Ajit Agarkar, who rediscovered his winning ways in sensational fashion. Ganguly and his men have won one of contemporary cricket’s greatest victories. This is something as big as the 1971 feats of Ajit Wadekar’s Indian team. And it has been masterminded by the inimitable, quietly strong man from Bangalore, who epitomizes all that is good in cricket. Rahul Sharad Dravid.

V Ramnarayan

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