A day will come, when Rahul Sharad Dravid will issue a prepared statement, and say good bye to test cricket in as understated a manner as someone of his stature can. It may not generate enough headlines, and FB status messages, and we might trash a few teams here and there too, without missing him much.
Then, one dark/dank morning, on a seaming pitch at 10/1, the captain of India (and the rest of us) will suddenly realize that there is no longer a Dravid to send to war. And thus we shall realize what we would have lost.
As much as I enjoy the flamboyance, the flair and the elegance of the rest of the Indian batting order, there is even today a satisfaction, an assurance that all will be well, when one sees that Britannia willow come down, ball after testing ball, and keep it out, or leave it with such assurance. That upright pull shot, and that cover drive to a swinging ball are as beautiful shots as you will ever see.
Even today, for me, the measure of the toughness of a pitch/situation is how an in-form Dravid is handling it. If he can't, well, who on earth can? If a good ball gets Dravid, well it could have gotten anyone else. It is mark of respect for the bowler.
While we often divide cricket fans in India by either being a SRT fanatic or a Dravid fanatic, I think (and have always done so) that each has had the career that he has had because of the other. There is a reason that it is most prolific batting partnership in the history of the game, and there is no one else even close. And while it is true that SRT will always have a special place my heart, the way I look at it is this way:
SRT was a born genius, something magical, and probably un-attainable by most of us. Dravid is an inspiration - he showed you that with a little bit of talent, and lots (and some more) of hard work, you can still be the best in the world. SRT might be on the wall poster, but Dravid is what I will identify with. And while Dravid doesn't generate anywhere near as much hysteria as SRT, it is what suits his persona perfectly. Imagine all that hype around Dravid. It just wouldn't be Dravid anymore :)
I will not say 'Respect' today. For me, he had that many moons ago. I will just say - savor it. It is priceless. There indeed are somethings money can't buy. The Indian Test Batting Line Up is definitely one of them, and at numbers three and four, we have probably the greatest 1-2 punch ever, and the beauty is, they are at such stages in their careers, that they could score 10 consecutive ducks, and nothing would ever change. Amen.
