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Under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid, the Rajasthan Royals have been one of the more consistent teams in this year’s IPL. (Getty Images)
The 5th of May was a strange day in the IPL – strange and eventful, to be precise. Here’s why: Chennai Super Kings slumped to a massive defeat, Mike Hussey, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Shane Watson failed to fire, Kieron Pollard dropped four catches, Pune Warriors posted a respectable score, Ajinkya Rahane sent a reminder to the selectors and Rahul Dravid brought up 2000 runs in the IPL. A milestone for the man in a format that he was not tailor made for.
While Rajasthan Royals made light work of the Pune total, Dravid slayed down a few notions that had stuck to the Great Wall of India. Chasing a total of 170 plus, one expected Rahane to be partnered by the big hitting Watson, but the 40-year-old ex-Indian Test number three took centre stage.
The second and fourth deliveries of the innings sped through cover-point and crashed the fence. If those back-foot punches off Bhubneshwar Kumar got him warmed up, Krishnakant Upadhyaya walked right into the demolition chamber. Lofted drives, straight drives, whips off the leg – Dravid launched an assault on the debutant and deposited him to every corner of the ground. Rahul Sharma disappeared over the fence but the inside-out cover drive off Angelo Mathews showed what the cricket world has missed in the last year – the class of Rahul Dravid.
The words Rahul Dravid and T20 have never gelled. Forget T20, he was never even deemed fit enough for the 50 overs format. So much so, he had to pick up the keeping gloves to keep a place in the then Indian side. He always belonged to the purists, and was looked upon as one of those who stuck out like a sore thumb in a format that demanded a strike rate of more than a run a ball. No one made a fuss when the Royal Challengers released him and neither did Bangalore fans become Rajasthan loyalists following his unceremonious departure.
Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid has been in fine form with the bat this year and has led a team filled with many uncapped Indian players to playoff contention. (IANS Photos)
However, after leading an unfancied team to playoff contention and performing exceptionally well with the bat this season, RCB could well be cursing their decision. Dravid has always been criticised for being too involved in the game. Not only by the experts, but also by his contemporaries, who have often accused him of being a little drawn in. They thought that he worried a tad bit too much about his batting and needed to learn how to relax a bit. That’s exactly what has changed in this IPL. May be retirement has helped. The burden of international cricket is off his shoulders and there is a fresh approach to the game. IPL-6 has injected a second wind to his career and Dravid – who seems to be playing with a smile on his face – looks really “cool” in his new relaxed avatar.
This year, his every outing at the crease has been entertaining but against Pune, he dished out a sumptuous display of batting. The innings of 58 last night, reminded the viewers and the fellow cricketers that even T20 can produce quality cricket and that this format has a place for players who are more adept to keeping the ball on the floor. The square cuts and drives flew out of the full face of the blade, proving that quick scoring isn’t only about bulging biceps and using a 4lbs piece of willow. If one’s got the grammar right, essaying a top quality innings is not that difficult.
Another aspect of Dravid that has caught the eye has been his approach to captaincy. His time at the helm with the Indian team had been marred with controversy. He was seen as a reluctant leader and was never given credit for the success he achieved as the captain of the national team. This IPL, he looks determined to set that record straight. The Royals have a legacy of grooming young Indian players. Shane Warne started it; Dravid in this year’s IPL, has taken it to the next level.
Under him, the uncapped Indian players have not only performed brilliantly, but also have won games on their own. Be it the young Sanju Samson or the veteran Stuart Binny, the local Indian core has stepped up for the Royals and Dravid has marshalled his troops with perfection. He has been spot on with his team selections and has given the required exposure to the talented ones. The likes of Dishant Yagnik and Samson have enjoyed the faith of the captain and have richly paid the side back with solid performances. They look like a close-knit unit, and just like Team India won the World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar, don’t be surprised if the Royals go on to take the honours, for their leader.
Someone somewhere once said that “Old is Gold”. Since the coinage of the phrase, we have sprayed it around and tagged it with everything that filled us with nostalgia and reminded us of the days gone by. We Indians love to stay in the past, don’t we? We are great fans of the “once upon a time” phenomenon and we never miss out on a chance to reminisce about how great things were. That pair of old jeans from college, that special Kishore Kumar song, that tattered old paper cutting – we all have that one thing, which rolls the clock back and make us realise why time travel is important. This summer, once can add one more item to that list – Rahul Dravid.
