Writing this for someone who has influenced my life the most.
They say all good things come to
an end. I never believed in that. Never until Friday - March 09, 2012. By the
way, we IT Professionals love Fridays, don’t we? But that was one Friday, I
wish, should have never come. An Era had ended.
That day, I was in my Office
cursing myself for missing out on a MAN’s press conference. I could not watch
that Live, but I watched recordings of his press conference on one of the news
channel websites as soon as I went home. It gave me Goosebumps. I was in tears
then. I am in tears now when I write this. Yes, I am talking about a MAN called
Rahul Dravid. The MAN who has announced retirement from International Cricket.
The MAN who defined Cricket to me. The MAN who taught us how to put team over
self. However, as I promised, I won’t bore you by putting up stats and numbers,
for records and stats bore me too. I want to talk less of Dravid-the-Batsman
and more of Dravid-the-Idol-the-Indian.
By the way, I heard Tendulkar has
been offered a seat in Parliament? Is that for real? But he hasn’t announced
retirement from Cricket, right? He hasn’t said NO to parliament also, no? So
will he be at two places at the same time? Well you never know, he’s the GOD
after all (and hence Omnipresent). However, anyone who has a matured head on his
shoulder would prefer a Dravid and not a Tendulkar in Parliament. Such a great
Orator Dravid is. The best Speaker in Team. Is the only non Australian to have
been called for Sir Don Bradman Oration – and what a speech that was – Epic! Made
India proud. Cricket proud. If ‘Pani Da Rang’, ‘Peeloon’ or ‘Teri Or’
delights you, please listen to – or read – Dravid’s speech at Bradman oration.
You’ll find it as delightful as any top romantic song, if not more (and if
‘Chikni Chameli’ and ‘Jalebi Bai’ are your favourites, well, you don’t need any
words of wisdom). So coming back to Sachin and Parliament, he has played FOR
the country in the past. By offering him a seat in Parliament, they now want
him to play WITH the country’s future!
In 2000, 12 years ago, when I was
10, my Father asked me whom I wanted to become like. Without a moment of
hesitation I said – Rahul Dravid. “Why Dravid and not Sachin?” asked my Father.
“I don’t know why” I said “but I want to become like him. No specific reason.”
Well, today I know why. Today I have reasons. Plenty of them. And now I also
know why my Father was proud of whom I chose then.
Dravid was the most Selfless. The
most Versatile. The most Humble. A Champion. A True Legend. A Perfect Role
Model. The Wall. The most Special. The Go-To Man in Crises. The Finest. The
most Respectful. The Greatest Test Cricketer India has ever seen. Yes, The
Greatest – second to none! Well, I often wonder where Dravid was when all those
arguments and scuffles took place on field against Australia, Pakistan. He must
be on some other planet, no? For I never ever saw him involved in any. Things
won’t ever be same again. In Dravid’s absence, Cricket will no more be a
gentleman’s game. When I look back at history of cricket, I find that Rahul
Dravid is the only man who has given more to the game than what game has given
him. I am not sure if Dravid will miss Cricket more or Cricket will miss Dravid
more.
Having said that, there was one
thing Dravid could never do in his career. He could never say a NO to anything
asked of him for India. Can you bat low in ODIs? Yes. Can you open in Tests?
Yes. Will you keep wickets? Yes! He never liked keeping wickets, but he did it
for India in ODIs. He was never comfortable, nor convincing, but he made
himself look bad for the team to look good! He may not be the world’s greatest
cricketer, but he definitely is the greatest man to have played cricket.
Rahul Dravid is the one I’ve
proudly proclaimed as my idol. And I tell you, you’ll struggle to find a better
role model than Rahul Dravid. You don’t often find a person as exceptional as
his achievements.
It has been great joy, honour and
greater privilege to watch him bat over the years. Blessed am I to have born in
his Era. There never was, and there shall never be another Dravid. For the next
100 years, India will search for its next Dravid – but will never find one. If
I was to define Dravid in one line, I would say what Harsha Bhogle had to say
about him:
"The Wolf who lived for the Pack"
I am proud of the fact that I live
in a country where everyone has the right to follow the religion of his choice
– the GOD of his choice – because my GOD is Rahul Dravid. If ever I want my
kids to become like someone, it will be Rahul Dravid. Thank You Dravid for all
those beautiful Cover drives. Thank You for Leeds. Thank You for Adelaide.
Thank You for Rawalpindi. Thank You for Eden Gardens, Kolkata - Only to name a
few…
Well, I learnt that all good
things come to an end. But I also learnt that Nice guys DON’T always finish
last!
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