Rahul Dravid: A quiet fulcrum around which Indian cricket is set to turn

In a world full of the scarce words of Twitter and WhatsApp status updates that provide a quick glimpse into a hectic life, Rahul Dravid is an anachronism. It is not for him that this rush squeezes everything at the speed of light, he prefers to marinate his thoughts. During his days of play, he used to stop before the Tests, have lunch for lunch, and only get into the rhythms of the five-day form.

Even before the magazines wrote about the slow life, Dravid did so, that is, in an instant, and refused to become part of peak modernity. She was her own husband, but remained an equally important tooth in team sports such as cricket. The performance under relentless pressure and the measured word outside the field defined him since he made a stiff upper lip as the color of the Lord after walking in his 90s debut test in the 90s.

And now, as he facilitates the role of senior coach of the Indian men’s team, he brings with him the traits that defined him – discipline, discipline, team values, and the ability to also understand that this is ultimately just a sport. Dravid’s coaching position seemed predetermined from the moment he moved out of the commentator box and opted for mentoring, whether it was the Indian Premier League or his possible directorial role at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

Just like the hard yards he did in domestic cricket and the TNCA League in Chennai (then Madras) before he got his national cap, Dravid preferred a considered approach to this possible position of leader of the Indian team brainstorming. When he retired from international cricket in 2012 as one of the best bats to ever play in a willow game, he picked up a few comments, enjoyed leaving his two sons to school, and played with the idea of ​​a biography alongside veteran sports. author and then dived into the joys and sorrows of becoming a coach.

He knows NCA and the bigger campus – M. Chinnaswamy Stadium – than his pocket. Once, he showed up at dawn, looking at the closed inner gates of the Academy, and looking at pictures of cricketers adorning the walls, and when the apologetic staff opened the gym, Dravid went without a hitch to train. He would rather focus on his fitness as he stretches his game day to the late 30s.

Dravid’s phenomenal achievements rose to the limelight, but outside the field he preferred shadows. Once at an event at the University of Bangalore honoring his mother, Pushpa Dravid, a well-known painter, the boy arrived on the scene. But when he realized that the media was teaching the cameras to him and not to his mother, he made Usain Bolt and ran into his car.

Now that he’s a coach, the aforementioned personality traits of getting the job done without attention would obviously pay attention to the locker room. Dravid follows Ravi Shastri, who had considerable success, even though major ICC silverware were missed. Shastr has an intelligent brain, but he tended to exaggerate in trying to complete his team and strengthen morale. However, his followers would prefer to speak quietly in the locker rooms and perhaps give the press a flatness that would rather work on the lawn to tell some truths rather than strain his vocal cords.

Decades ago, as he took his own path out of the shadows created by bright teammates such as Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, and Virender Sehwag, this correspondent sought him for an interview. The response was quick: “Hello give, why not burn from Vij [Vijay Bharadwaj], he is doing very well on the domestic track, he needs that extra effort. This famous “Dravid restraint” was obvious, but equally it also revealed the spirit of his essentially teammate who was looking for a spotlight on another Karnataka star.

Grounding is perhaps a feature that hangs in the air around Chinnaswamy Stadium, although traffic blocked on the MG Road network may bring up a strange expression. As a boy, Dravid was picked up at the stadium with Roger Binny, and when he became a legend, he passed on hereditary traits to the next generations. In his honor, a wall has been erected in his hometown that mimics the nickname that became his second identity. Dravid never liked being called the “Wall”; to his friends he was always Rahul or Jammy because his father, the late Sharad Dravid, had worked with Cat Jam.

There was tremendous respect among his Karnataka peers, but the home truths were always delivered. Once after training at the NCA, Dravid walked past the home game, got in his car and headed to his Indira Nagar home. Javagal Srinath immediately called his friend and gently warned him not to meet with state comrades after the game. And in those minutes, another legacy lesson was given. These are important clues that shaped Dravid’s personality and are useful when dealing with young people like Prithvi Shaw or Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Dravid enters the locker room, accustomed to the smell of victory, but equally nervous about the sensitivity of ICC events. Whether it’s Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, the twin skippers of India, Dravid has a relationship as he has played with the two for the rest of his career. Over the next two years, he will keep an unshakable eye on India’s performance in various formats, but he would be aware that some of his key players – Kohli, Rohit, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and R. Ashwin – are 30 years old and in transition. is a reality.

Equally, it would be a matter of young people seizing their opportunities. At his best, Dravid was willing to put his hands on his running gloves or open his innings. Adapting to the purpose of the team, along with the valuable, may be a lasting lesson he or she would be happy to leave to his or her followers. The former captain of India has his hands full, but modestly he would like to be a quiet fulcrum.

Great flags of the Dravid era

The challenges between different formats become thick and fast. Dravid and the incubator will also have to deal with workload issues, given the full bilateral schedule between the IPL and India, which includes the 2021-23 World Test Championship cycle.

• Series of three tests in South Africa, December 2021 – January 2022

India has not won a series of tests in South Africa. However, Dravid was captain when India won her virginity test in South Africa (2006) and was part of the team that earned the first set draw there (1-1) (2010-11).

• Fifth exam in England, July 2022 (continuation of the 2021 series)

India, which is leading 2-1, are aiming to get their first set in England since 2007, when Dravid’s team won 1-0 in a three-test match.

• ICC T20 World Cup in Australia, October-November 2022

India has not won the tournament since the MS Dhon team won the inaugural series in 2007. The party has also not achieved the ICC title since Dhon’s men raised the Champions Trophy in 2013.

• Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, 2022-23

India, which has won the previous three series (once at home and twice in Australia), is proud to continue its records in one of the world’s most prestigious cricket matches.

• ICC 50-over World Cup in India, 2023

Dhon’s iconic finishing strike in 2011 is still the country’s latest happy memory of the event the team wants to tackle as the tournament returns to India.