Rahul Dravid: 15 years at the top

Fifteen years, 1996-2011, is a really long time. A lot has happened in international cricket during this period. The Australian cricket team was on the rise. They conquered the world ruled it for almost a decade before being dethroned. The period also encompassed the entire captaincy terms of two highly successful Aussies, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. Pakistan went from a cricketing nation that played home series’ just like any other country to a nation that no country wants to tour. The West Indies team was slowly starting to decline and now it has hit the lowest possible point. The Indian team, which was then looked upon as a side incapable of winning abroad has made massive strides to become the number 1 side in the world, winning test matches in every other cricketing nation in this period. Few thing have remained constant in this period, one being that South Africa are still the chokers. There are four batsmen that have managed to stay around during this entire period. One of them, Rahul Dravid (the others being Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Sanath Jayasuriya is not included as he hasn’t played international cricket for over a year and will only be playing a solitary farewell game), recently completed 15 glorious years at the international stage and he did it in typical fashion with a determined match winning knock against the West Indies.

A classical square drive on test debut at Lords', 1996

The innings against West Indies showed once again what Dravid truly is, a man of intense concentration and determination who is always prepared to battle it out for every single run. He is one of the very few classical batsmen of the modern era who still believes in working for and earning his runs. The technique is as solid as it was 15 years ago when he scored a 95 on his debut, batting at number 7 at the holiest venue of them all, Lords’. The solid defence and the lovely strokes all along the ground made him an instant candidate for the number 3 spot. And he responded to the promotion in style with a well compiled 148 in his fourth innings at number 4 against a South African attack comprising the likes of Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock at Johannesburg. That knock cemented his place at number 3 ad earned him his first man-of-the-match award. And he didn’t look back from there. Two years later at Hamilton against New Zealand, Dravid became the third Indian batsman ever after Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar to score centuries in both innings’ of a test. Dravid suffered a setback with respect to his batting form during the period of late 1999-early 2001 with his only significant contributions coming against the Zimbabweans. Critics were calling for his head and the pressure to answer them was ever increasing. Staying true to his gentleman nature, Dravid kept him mouth shut and waited patiently for the right occasion to let his bat do the talking. The moment finally arrived in India’s greatest test victory ever at the Eden Gardens Kolkata in 2001. After being asked by Australia to follow on, India were still behind by 42 runs with four wickets down when Dravid walked out to join a set VVS Laxman. The duo put together a magnificent 376 run stand that bailed India out of trouble. Dravid batted for almost six hours to score 180. India went on to win the match and this victory changed Indian cricket forever.

Dravid was not as fluent a stroke player as Sachin or Sourav Ganguly. He was at times criticised for his slow scoring rate. Somehow, he managed to hold on to his place in the ODI side and with time, he got better, making more significant contributions towards the team. He was in wonderful form in the 1999 World Cup in England, ending the tournament as the highest run-getter despite the fact that India were knocked out of the super-six stage. He also became the first Indian to score back to back centuries in a World Cup and till date, he remains the only one.

Dravid scores the winning runs at Adelaide, 2003

In the years to come, India under Sourav Ganguly went from strength to strength and Dravid was there to lead the way with the bat. In the period of June-September 2002, Dravid notched up four centuries on a trot. This included a knock of 148 on a seaming wicket against England at Headingley that enabled India to win the match and draw the series. In the Australia summer of 2003-2004, Dravid once again sizzled to help India retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy. He was instrumental in India’s victory in the second test at Adelaide, scoring 233 and 72 not out to level the series. He ended the tour with a Bradmanesque average of 123. Months later, it was Pakistan at the receiving end as Dravid notched up his highest test knock on 270 to take India to a historic series win in Pakistan. Later in the year, his 160 against Bangladesh at Chittagong made him the first man ever to score centuries in all test-playing nations. Dravid’s stellar performance in 2004 earned him the ICC Test Player of the Year and the Player of the Year awards. His return to Eden Gardens in 2005 was again filled with runs as he scored centuries in both innings to take down Pakistan. In ODIs, Dravid took up the responsibility of keeping wickets so that the team could play an extra batsman. This was a huge advantage as it led to a longer batting order. India went all the way to the finals of the 2003 World Cup. Dravid didn’t quite replicate his performance in the 1999 edition, but he managed to get a few important half-centuries to help the team.

Dravid cuts during his knock of 81 at Kingston, Jamaica, 2006

By the end of 2005, Dravid was announced the captain of the Indian side after a fallout between Ganguly and newly-appointed coach, Greg Chappell. Dravid played the best cricket of his life under Ganguly. He averaged 73.33 in tests, and this number goes up to almost 103 in matches won by India. Dravid couldn’t quite replicate what Ganguly achieved as a captain. However, a lot of that can be attributed to Chappell’s tactics. Dravid’s only fault was that he allowed the coach to dictate terms. His greatest moment as captain came when he led the team to a series victory in the Caribbean after 35 long years. Three draws meant that the teams had the entire series to play for in the final test at Kingston, Jamaica. Wide cracks on the pitch and the resulting unpredictable bounce made batting a nightmarish experience. Add to that Jerome Taylor at his best and things get worse. Dravid fought and he fought hard, scoring 81 and 68 in the two innings’. The only other Indian batsman to cross 20 was Anil Kumble who scored 45. The lowest point of Dravid’s captaincy stint came in 2007 as India were knocked out of the group stages after losses against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. However, soon after the debacle, he led India to its first series win in England since 1986. However, Dravid failed with the bat and a month after the series, he decided to resign as captain.

Dravid looks up at the sky after reaching his 32nd test century at Kingston, Jamaica, 2011

The period since then hasn’t quite been a bed of roses of Dravid. He hasn’t been scoring as prolifically and has at times looked a bit vulnerable outside the off-stump. The rise of youngsters has cost him a place in the ODI side. He has had to work a bit harder for his runs but the one thing you know with Dravid is that he will always do whatever is necessary to get the runs and that he will make sure you earn his wicket. The century at Kingston was Dravid at his fighting best. Conditions were tough for batting. The other batsmen were unable to stay at the crease for long. Dravid watched the ball like a hawk. Even the odd ball that kept low was not allowed to go past the bat. Yes he was dropped at 6 but utilised this opportunity to the maximum. He batted for more than six and a half hours and helped India set up a match-winning target in front the West Indies. A Dravid said after the match, it was for moments like these that he played the game.

Dravid’s is already a legend of the game. He is right up there with Sunil Gavaskar and Tendulkar as the greatest test cricketers from India. His role in India’s rise as a cricketing powerhouse was pivotal. The youngsters have a lot to learn from this man. The fact that he still plays domestic cricket whenever he gets the time is a hallmark of his love for the game and the desire to keep on getting better. He is over 38 now and it’s only a matter of time before he calls it a day. His form too has been on the decline in the past three years or so. But as they say, ‘Form is temporary but class is permanent’ and innings’ like the one at Kingston serve reminders to this fact.