The Fall of "The Wall"

Am I missing out on something? Or is there something Vengsarkar and Co. can see with their ageing eyes which I can’t? [Someone has indeed truly quoted, “Middle age is a time when the narrowness of the waist and the broadness of the mind exchange places”] I was wrong to have thought that after much so-called experience they would have realized that “Form is temporary, class is permanent.”

I have always considered Dravid a notch above Tendulkar, whether it be temperament, team spirit or plain technique. If Tendulkar is God, then the God is selfish. It’s funny to notice how Tendulkar always slows down in the nineties, how he begins hoarding runs like a little squirrel hoarding nuts. Dravid may not cheer up the crowds with huge, sloggy sixes, he might be even branded as a Test Cricketer. But whenever India has needed him, he has been there. Always.

Off the subcontinent, when Indian batsmen struggle to keep pace with the swing and the bounce, it has always been Dravid who has stood, as always, like The Wall he is. He is an invaluable asset who can sweep spinners and pull pacers with equal ease.

When he is about to cut the ball away, the bowlers feel an inexplicable dread, the kind which you know you can’t do anything about, the fielders don’t even bother moving, and when the bat makes contact with the ball, Slam!! The air itself makes way for the ball, whizzing past a horde of fielders who can do nothing more than marvel at this scintillating display of impeccable cricketing technique.

. Having guided the team to victory in overseas matches, his think-tank capabilities would have augured well for the team and the young captain Dhoni. People might argue that even Ganguly was shown the door when he didn’t perform, but what they probably miss out on is that he was given chances for almost two years after which the selectors were left with no choice. On the other hand I think ten bad matches are too less to judge a genius like him.

It’s a pity to see him vying for a place in the team with rookies like Dinesh Karthik and Praveen Kumar. The only people happy with the on-goings would be the Karnataka Cricket Team for which Dravid has slammed a marvelous double century. I hope the BCCI don’t further embarrass a player of his stature.

Hail Dravid!