100: ThegreatonE ReturnS.......... Review on Rahul Dravid

Hello fellow MSians, it has been a long long time since I wrote a rvu here at MS well it has been a long time since I RRCd a rvu but that was due to time constraints. Anyway I am not here to tell my boring story, I am here to complete my century and since I love Kricket as anything that’s why I am writing my rvu on a well-known sports person of India.

Note: Well for those who don’t like Cricket this rvu won’t be useful at all and I am sorry for you guys that I have wasted my 100th rvu. And I was asked by many of buddies here at MS and this one should be my best rvu. I am sorry for disappointing you on that too coz the best is yet to come….

Rahul Dravid:

Born: 11th January, 1973

Teams: Karnataka, Kent, India

Batting Style: Right Hand Batsman

Other: Wicket-Keeper

Test Debut: India v England at Lord's 1996

ODI Debut: India v Sri Lanka at Singapore 1995/96

Introduction:

People know him more as Mr. Dependable, The Wall, Mr. Technical, Jammy etc. I am talking about Rahul Dravid, the handsome guy of Indian cricket who has made a special mark in Cricket and is regarded as Legend. Currently the most trustworthy batsman in the team he is even compared with the “guru” Sachin Tendulkar (Although I strictly feel there is no comparison for Sachin). Bats at no.3, 4(mostly) and currently also handles the gloves (in ODI’s) he is the vice-caption and future caption of Indian Cricket Team.

His Childhood:

Dravid grew up playing in the streets of Bangalore. He was in St. Joseph's school and did well in the junior tournaments to be selected in the State under-15, under-17 and under-19 tournaments. At home in under-19 series against New Zealand, Dravid led India and did well with the bat with a century in the Test at Bombay and fifties in two one-day matches. His Ranji season in 1992 was also was profitable for him and he was under the observation of the Indian selectors. His father played the game and his uncle, K. V. Dravid too played for the Holkars. It is thus understandable why Dravid always dreamt of becoming a cricketer. Dravid was helped by the legend himself G. R. Viswanath for improving his performance and playing abilities. He has made more than 15,000 first class runs.

His Entry in the Indian Team:

It was all in 1996 when the wall of India was constructed before the stumps in the form of Rahul Dravid. Dravid's stability and his fantastic hard working philosophy made his inclusion in the 1996 squad to England. Making 95 on debut, Dravid had reserved his place permanently into the Indian squad. Comfortable against both pace and spin, Rahul has made a mark in both the forms of the game.

Coming to his playing approach when he initially started in the tests, he was slow, patient and frankly speaking he bored me before by making the bowlers run for their money and making 10-15 runs per 100 balls. But then the technique and his ability to play all kinds of shots really made me see him play everytime he came to the ground. He averages around 60 (in tests) at no.3 position(as we call 1 down), which is more than any regular No. 3 batsman in the game’s history (except Don Bradman). At one time he averaged more at alien grounds then at home.

As I said earlier he was more of a test-player rather than a one-day guy who would hits shots just about every ball he faces. He was typecast as a technically correct player capable of defending the best attacks – and that’s when he was nicknamed was ‘The Wall’. He has made some remarkable performances in the tests. But some people still did say at that time that he was not fit to play (our own X-Indian cricketer said this-I am not taking his name-I hate controversies..). that’s the time when he was at home and was given such a statement. He made a blistering century and raised his bat against the commentary room to silence the critic. It was the first and last time I saw Rahul Dravid angry.

According to me the best phase of Dravid’s Test Career was in 2001, when he made 180 with Laxman’s 281 against Australia who always dreamed to beat India in India (until last year). Dravid has won India many test-matches away from home against mostly all countries he has played. There was a phase when he made four successive centuries. He also has hit five double-centuries-remember the Aussie-India test at Adelaide last year-on that epic win when India won a test in Australia after more than 30 years. The last double hundred coming against arch-rivals Pakistan in Pakistan. Even his performance in the test against Pakistan at Rawalpindi where he scored about 270 on a pitch which was bowler friendly gives the player’s high proficiency in the game and has made him a match-winner for India.

Coming to his one-day career well as I said earlier he was initially regarded more of a stable test-batsman rather than a one-day player and that’s what was visible when he played his initial one-dayers. He had a low strike-rate of just about 60’s which in no way regarded as good strike rate in One-days. But he kept on improving and after his one-day performance in S.A. tour(sorry I don’t remember the year) he became a complete one-day batsman as well. And I never thought I would see Rahul Dravid scoring nearly a run-a-ball in some of the matches in the last few years (against West-Indies and NZ a couple of years back). And then he was handed an additional job of keeping which would help India have an additional batsman or bowler. I would say here that he isn’t the typical keeper that a team would have but still we have to keep in mind the fact that his services as a Batsman, as a Vice-Caption and as a Slip fielder for the team has overshadowed the not-so-good keeping of his.

He is an exceptional slip-fielder as well and he has taken some absolute blinders at first slip.

Before I conclude I would like to say something. People compare Dravid with Sachin and even rate him higher. I must say this comparison is wrong in my opinion. There has been a lot of hulla-bulla over who is better of the two. The real fact is both are equally important and cant be compared. I must emphasize that it gives a moral boost to the Indian team when Sachin plays in the team and gives an edge over opposition just with his name. And if he’s injured well you can see the results of the recent matches when he hasn’t played. Coming to Dravid you can rely on him anytime in any worse situation. He comes out playing and saving India all time as a match winner for the team something that not many cricketers have today in the cricketing world and it was due to him that we started winning overseas something which was tough for India over quite a few years.

Stats:

M I Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct

Batting & Fielding 86 146 7363 270 57.52 41.91 18 35 119

ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS:

M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St

Batting: 245 224 27 7751 153 39.34 69.57 9 56 150 14

Stats. Source: http://www.cricinfo.com