Rahul Dravid: The Wall that always stood tall

If you can make one heap of all your winnings,

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

From the poem 'If' (by Rudyard Kipling)

A stalwart, a gentleman, a selfless person, a guy who always delivered, not to become the headline on the first page of the newspapers for his hundreds but to save the team in times of crisis when big names had failed to perform in alien conditions.

Rahul Dravid's comparison to any of the great cricketers would be inappropriate because his resilience and humility are incomparable to any of the cricketers born till date. He is a man of substance, a man who greeted everyone from his captain to his juniors alike whenever he met them.

Whenever we hear about Rahul Dravid, the first word that comes to our mind is 'Gentleman'. A gentleman is a person who treats both victory and failure alike without putting forth false reasons for the shortcomings. He, in a true sense, is a real gentleman.

The true test of a person's resolve is how they stand in face of adversity. He lived for the team without expecting anything in return. He stood behind the stumps in that period when the team did not have a specialist wicket-keeper. He captained the team in the 2007 World Cup and took the responsibility for the loss. He even captained India to a historic win in a Test Series against England. He was, unquestionably, 'The Wall' that always stood tall.

His willingness to play and perform in foreign conditions defined the stature of his competitiveness. Never ecstatic on achieving a great feat or daunted by a temporary failure, he always put the team over self. His foundation was so strong that it could not be swayed by the greatest of bowling attacks of that time. Since his edifices were built on strong footing, he always made the bowlers pay a huge price for his wicket.

He will always remain an inspiration for the young cricketers who relish his methods of playing. His coalition with Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils and now the U-19 team has produced flamboyant cricketers who are now performing outstandingly at international levels.

A batsman, a team man, a true gentleman, a leader, a motivator, you will always be missed.