Good Bye to Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid retired from test cricket - a sad day for Indian cricket. Harsha has, as usual, pays his tribute to the Wolf who lived for the pack.

There is no point in talking about his game or statistics or the impact he had on the Indian team as well as cricket, in general. Here, I want to talk about five qualities of Dravid that was unique to the man and made up his character all the more special

• Adaptability - After having started off as a test specialist, Dravid adapted his game to the shorter format so beautifully that he made centuries that were better than run-a-ball
• Selfless - Whether it was opening the innings or keeping wickets (or both), Dravid did it for the team's cause even though he did not like it one bit. Putting his team above his cause was second nature to him.
• Humility - Dravid with all the gains made in the IPL as well as BCCI's riches, has always remained humble and down to earth. Accessible to the youngest player in the squad, he is ever approachable.
• Team Player - Peer Pressure is usually faced by those who have geniuses (like Tendulkar, Laxman, Sehwag) for company within their team. This results in a loss of performance and creates issues within the dressing room but as one has witnessed over time, Dravid has been the team-man forever not just for the Indian team but also teams like Karnataka, Rajasthan Royals
• Determined - When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. This is so true for a player like Rahul Dravid (remember the Windies series win where he scored half-centuries in both innings)

I do not think any current (or old) player has all these facets in their character - even the legendary Sachin Tendulkar or Sunil Gavaskar.

All the best for your new career, Rahul Dravid. Let us see you in a new avatar that helps Indian cricket recover from the current crisis!