It would be lovely to finish with a win,’ says Dravid

Cardiff (Wales), Sep. 16 : Rahul Dravid, “The Wall” of Indian cricket and a former skipper of the national side, has said that he would like to end his one-day international career on a winning note in Cardiff on Friday. Dravid acknowledged the appreciation he had earned in his 15-year long career, and said that a win would be special.
“I think that I have got enough respect and enough recognition for what I’ve done, and to be honest, I’d like to end off with a win. It would be lovely for India, and you know we’ve had a tough tour,” he said.
“It would be lovely to finish with a win. Irrespective of what I get, it will be great if we can finish off with a win tomorrow and I hope that we’ll play some of the best cricket,” he added.
“I thought we played some very good cricket at Lord’s the other day and some terrific performances, just that, unfortunately, we couldn’t get over the line. But hopefully, we can do that tomorrow,” Dravid said.
Dravid said that his long career spanning over 300 games has made him a versatile player, one who could captain or keep wickets, and bat at different positions.
Known for his temperament as a Test batsman, he said that playing one-dayers had helped him to strengthen his technique in the longer format of the game.
Dravid said that India’s tour of England has been disappointing and the sense of defeat would remain in spite of the accolades he received personally for his batting.
“Obviously, the Test series was bittersweet. You know, there was a lot of satisfaction of playing against a tough attack and scoring runs, but obviously, it’s been a disappointing tour for us, so that sense will always remain. But yeah, I’m fully humbled by some of the, you know, some of the nice things, good things that have been said about me over the last few weeks,” he added.
Dravid also said that monitoring one’s fitness and approaching the game with a sense of enthusiasm and discipline was the key to a long career. He said that since he was still playing Test cricket, it did not actually feel like he was retiring.
He also said that while England had had a fantastic series at home, however it would be difficult for them to replicate similar performances during their India tour in October.
“Yeah, obviously. I mean, there’s no doubt about it that when England comes to India in October for the five one-dayers, it’ll be different conditions they will be playing in, and so that’ll be a challenge for them. I mean, obviously, they have proved to be a good side in these conditions. It makes for very good cricket, and like I said, I think they’ve got a good team. They’ve got the potential to do well in the subcontinent, but it’s not easy. It’s not easy to come to India and do well in those conditions,” Dravid said.
Widely touted as one of India’s greatest ever Test batsman, Dravid stood out as the lone success story in India’s 4-0 Test series loss to England, aggregating 461 runs with three centuries at an average of nearly 77 that won him praise from all quarters.
India trail England 2-0 in the ODI series, and are seeking to salvage some pride in the last leg of a dismal tour where they have not won a single game.

Continue Reading... Tags: Cricket, Rahul Dravid

Dravid gears up for his ODI swan song at Cardiff

Cardiff, Sep 15  Former captain Rahul Dravid is all set to bid adieu to One-Day Internationals and India hope to end their nightmarish English summer on a winning note at the final match here Friday. The Indian team will be looking to give a fitting farewell to Dravid and this perhaps is the only motivation for the crest-fallen team, which suffered a whitewash in the Test series and have already lost the five-match ODI 3-0.
"The Wall", the nickname Dravid does not like, was in great form in the Tests but after selectors picked him up after a gap of two years he decided to end his ODI career after the England series.
Before the England series, Dravid last played in the tri-series at Sri Lanka and the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa in 2009. He was earlier dropped from the squad in 2007.
In his last Twenty20 match last month, Dravid made a 33-ball 23 but still couldn't see India win. In the ODI series, he has averaged 55 runs in the first four games and now surely wants to go out with a bang.
It is a coincidence that Dravid will be ending his ODI career in England, from where he started his legendary career spanning 15 years.
In 343 matches, Dravid has scored 10,820 runs, averaging 39.06 and at a strike-rate of 71.16. He also has 196 catches and 14 stumpings that made him a true selfless player. Only Sachin Tendulkar (18,111) and Sourav Ganguly
(11,363) are ahead of him as leading run scorers in one-dayers.
But it has not been an easy ride for the former India captain. He made his maiden hundred (107) at Chennai's M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in the Independence Cup match against Pakistan in 1997 but it was completely overshadowed by Saeed Anwar's 194.
He emerged a strong player after the 1999 World Cup. He smashed 145 against Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup game at Taunton and along with Ganguly (183), was involved in a 318-run second-wicket partnership.
As skipper, he had to see the humiliation of India being knocked out of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. Though he gave up his captaincy, he never lost his dignity.

Continue Reading... Tags: Cardiff, Cricket, Rahul Dravid

It does not feel like I'm finishing: Dravid

Cardiff, Sep 15 : Former India cricket captain Rahul Dravid, who will be retiring from one-day internationals after the fifth ODI here Friday, said hard work in the shorter format of the game helped him to excel in Tests.
"It does not feel like I'm finishing. I will still be doing the same things I have been doing in the last two and a half years. But I have had to work harder on my one-day cricket than in Tests," said Dravid, who will be playing his 344th ODI, on the eve of the match here.
Dravid, who will be ending his 15-year-old ODI career, said he does not dread quitting.
"After such a long period of playing cricket, you don't dread the day you will quit. You will recognise that when the time comes, you would have to move on. Retiring wouldn't make much of a change in my life," he said.
"The Test series against West Indies is coming up. There will be a few days off, then it is back to fitness and practice. Nothing would really change. Nothing is going to be different from tomorrow onwards," he said.
On the feeling of retiring, Dravid said: "When you are away from home, you don't get a sense how it's been like. My wife did mention there are very nice things written about me back home. I feel humbled about the things being said and written about me in last few weeks."
Dravid, who is the seventh highest ODI scorer with 10,820 runs, said that when he started playing, he wasn't considered suitable for ODI cricket but he worked hard to score more than 10,000 runs.
"When I started playing, I wasn't recognised as a one-day player. There was a lot more learning I had to do. I was dropped in the middle of my career, had to learn some lessons, and it helped free up my Test cricket as well. I ended up playing over 300 games for India," he said.
"It gives me a lot of satisfaction (to reflect) that I had a good Test and one-day career. At one stage, I probably wouldn't have thought so myself. In many ways, it has been a very pleasing and satisfying career," he said.
Asked whether batting at various positions and keeping wickets helped him to become an all-round cricketer, Dravid said: "I have played in various positions, kept wickets, opened, batted at number three and five. It helped improve my versatility, being challenged to do different things, different positions, learn new skills, batting at 5-6, and facing different bowlers. Keeping and then batting as well as batting and then keeping helped me grow as a person and as a cricketer."
Asked if he was asked to lead the side in his final ODI, Dravid said: "I don't think I would lead the side. M. S. Dhoni has led the side well. I have got enough respect and recognition for what I have done. It would be lovely to win though (tomorrow), irrespective of what happens."
"We were very good at Lord's, unfortunately, we couldn't get over the line. Hopefully we can do so here tomorrow," he said.
Dravid said after he was dropped from the ODI side, he found it difficult to adjust to Test cricket.
"Initially I found it difficult. I was used to playing continuously all the time. There were gaps as big as six months. When it was the off-season in Indian domestic circuit, I found it difficult. Going straight into Tests with no side games was a challenge for me. I had to learn to adjust to it, get fitter and work harder. It helped, and I was also able to iron out a few flaws in my game, as well as spend time with my family."
Dravid said making the final in the 2003 World Cup was one of the highs of his career and leading the team to a first round exit in the 2007 World Cup was the lowest.
"Reaching the 2003 World Cup finals and getting so close was a high. Then watching India win the World Cup this year was extremely satisfying. I watched Kapil Dev lift the trophy as a 10-year-old, and now towards the end of my career, seeing another Indian team do it and realizing you have been a part of that journey has been satisfying," he said.
"Captaining the team in the 2007 World Cup was a big disappointment. I think we had a team which could have done better, but then we lost to Bangladesh and missed out," he rued.
Dravid said that England, who humiliated India in the summer, are yet not ready to be compared along with the great Australian and the West Indies.
"There's no doubt when England comes to India in October, they would find different conditions. That would be a challenge for them. They have proved to be a good side in their home conditions. They have got the potential but it's not easy," said Dravid.
"It's unfair to compare them with the Australians and West Indies of the past. They were consistent for a long period of time and in various conditions. West Indies won in India and Australia in 2004. England need to go to various countries and win, in South Africa and in India," he said.

Continue Reading... Tags: Cardiff, Cricket, Rahul Dravid, Wales