Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid continue to entertain Indian supporters in England

Rahul Dravid (L) and Sourav Ganguly (R) show how good they are even without the bat in their hands

Ask any young boy growing up in India about what he wants to do with his life and you would most likely get the answer that he dreams of being a cricketer in the future. The same is true of different sports all around the world. For there is no career that can even come close to the glitz and the glamour that comes with being a sportsman. The fame and recognition that you get is unparalleled and it is someone everyone dreams of doing.

Whether it is being a cricketer, footballer or an athlete that you dream of, you are assured of being in the limelight and making the news. As fascinating as it maybe, the life of a sportsman is never easy. You will have to travel all over the world and you would have little time to do anything but train in your field of expertise and continue your quest to excellence. While the hard work and the dedication certainly does pay off, the question of what one does after that arises.

No matter how good you are, you can only compete for so long, for the shelf life of a sportsman isn’t too long. No matter what sport you take up, it is hard to see yourself competing at the very top level when you are in your late 30s and early 40s. While there have been some who have competed in their advancing years, they are merely the exception to the rule.

The simple fact is that once your career in sport is done, unless you go into coaching and/or training, you will have to carve out another one for yourself. But if you are one of those dedicated professionals who put everything into the game and don’t have a college education, and you aren’t all that popular, that makes your chances of finding a job all the more difficult.

But if you are one of the legends of your game, the chances are that you are likely to stay in the line of work that made you famous. That is precisely what former India captains Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have been doing. Gone are the days when cricket commentators were non-professionals who were merely given the responsibility of covering the game. Such is the demand for insight and knowledge that television companies have started recruiting former players into the commentary box to provide some valuable input on what is going on the pitch and give a sneak peek to the audience of what it was like to be playing on the field.

The best of the Test – Ganguly and Dravid

Although the first Test of the ongoing series between England and India ended in a draw, there is certainly one endearing image that many people are likely to remember long after this series. While some might remember Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s five-for and two fifties and some might remember James Anderson and Joe Root’s record-breaking 10th wicket partnership, ask any Indian fan who grew up watching Ganguly and Dravid play, and they would tell that it was the friendly banter that the duo shared when Root and Anderson were at the crease.

Ganguly and Dravid have given commentary a completely different look

Whether it was Dravid shedding his “politically correct” image and taking a dig at Ganguly’s fitness or the latter commenting on how he under-used him as a bowler and used Sachin instead, the duo’s conversation would’ve certainly brought a chuckle to every Indian cricket fan. It also reminded the audience as to why these experts have made their way into the commentary box.

Some of the endearing memories of the England tour so far have been off the pitch. No, I am not referring to Gary Ballance’s antics, but to the efforts of two of India’s finest batsmen, in the commentary box. For so long, fans have been used to seeing the duo’s bat do the talking but it is certainly a refreshing change to see their mouth doing it now.

One of the main reasons why cricketers turned their hand to commentary was because of the insight they could bring about what is happening on the pitch. What is also increasingly happening is that we are beginning to see a new side to our national heroes. We are getting a behind-the-scenes access to what went on all those years ago. Memories, anecdotes and tales of fun which would have otherwise remained private are now becoming public.

After all, where else could we have found that Dravid isn’t always Mr. Nice guy and can pull others’ legs as well, and that Ganguly has a penchant for one-liners and strong rebuttals. These are certainly interesting times for Indian cricket and long may it continue. I, for one, am looking forward to the day when MS Dhoni steps into the commentary box and talks about what went on, while he was the captain and why he did, what he did. It might be a long time coming, but for Indian cricket fans, it is certainly a refreshing change to see our favourite players share their experiences and have fun at some other than playing cricket.