Rahul Dravid ...

[Sandeep]

It is something written by a pathetic columnist in the Herald sun Tabloid which is not even a national newspaper. I think Aussies respect Sachin a lot and the admiration is shown whenever he walks out to bat, none except Ricky Ponting commanded that kind of standing ovation.

Anyways, I think Dravid speaks much better English and is a better orator than Sachin. Dravid would have been my first choice too.

[PKBasu]

Rahul Dravid, one of the greatest batsmen in Test history (and one among the trinity of Indian batting greats -- along with Gavaskar and Tendulkar) appears likely to announce his retirement from the game this afternoon in the company of BCCI president N Srinivasan at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore:

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/ra ... 120308.htm

Ironically, amid all the talk about Sachin's 99 international centuries, Dravid will be retiring with an aggregate of 99 innings of 50+ in Test cricket -- 63 innings between 50 and 99, and 36 centuries. He had many magnificent innings in a supporting role. But he reached the very pinnacle of the game with 233 and 72* in one of India's most stirring Test victories (in Adelaide 2004-05) and his career-best 270 in Rawalpindi, enabling India to beat Pakistan in a Test series away for the first time.

[kna]

Rahul Dravid retired from all international and domestic first-class cricket today.

I'm very sad, but it was the right time for him to go - on his own terms, rather than being pushed out.

He is my absolute favourite cricketer - a technician, a thinker, a fighter, the perfect teammate, a gentleman, a class act. He is one of India's greatest cricketers, and in my opinion India's greatest overseas Test batsman, especially in England.

PKB has listed some of Dravid's great Test innings in another thread, but here is my list of his best Test innings - significantly, most of them are overseas:

95 vs. England (Lord's, 1996) (Test debut)
148 vs. South Africa (Johannesburg, 1997)
190 and 103 not out vs. New Zealand (Hamilton, 1999)
180 vs. Australia (Kolkata, 2001)
148 vs. England (Headingley, 2002)
217 vs. England (The Oval, 2002)
233 and 72 not out vs. Australia (Adelaide, 2003)
270 vs. Pakistan (Rawalpindi, 2004)
81 and 68 vs. West Indies (Kingston, 2006)
93 vs. Australia (Perth, 2008)
177 vs. Sri Lanka (Ahmedabad, 2009)
112 vs. West Indies (Jamaica, 2011)
103 not out vs. England (Lord's, 2011)
117 vs. England (Trent Bridge, 2011)
146 not out vs. England (The Oval, 2011)

One of the true greats has left the game. Watching India play Test cricket will never be the same for me again.

He gave everything he had to his craft. No one can ask for anything more from a sportsman.

Bravo, Rahul and thank you. It's been a privilege.

[jaydeep]

Thanks Kujo.

From now onward we are going to miss to a thorough Gentleman and technically perfect Great Cricketing Ambassador in action ... Thank you for your services to Indian cricket

Cricinfo Rahul Dravid page

Dravid retires, sad but proud

[Sandeep]

Rahul Dravid . Feeling very very sad. Team India is going to be poorer with out him. I think the decision was a bit premature, he had still a lot to contribute. It was more or less a forced decision taken by himself to retire on a high, the concept which I never understand! Play till you are kicked out of the team, why retire when you have it in you to contribute? Anyways, I hope the younger generation for whom Dravid retired will take up this great opportunity and one of them will evolve into the next great.

Is Kohli our new No.3? Would be interesting to see. Though Kohli had a wonderful Australian series, I have my apprehensions about his technique, No.3 would be a challenge. But then who? I think Gambir should drop down and we should look for a new opener.

[jaydeep]

Pujara is another candidate for No. 3 slot but before this he need to show fitness and score some runs.

[shibi]

Salute to the great sportsman and gentleman. Bye Dravid.

[Prashant]

I will miss him & am thankful to have watched much of his career. I really have no qualms with the timing of his retirement, it is close to a perfect time to go.

[ajay]

I must say a great inning has come to an end. No complains about it, he played well and his contribution made the difference. I'm not sad at all as his inning has been satisfying although I'd miss that steady wall. At the end of such inning, the new batsman coming in is always under pressure. But hopefully another great inning in making will substitute. Thanks you Dravid for your contribution.

[prasen9]

For now, unless the selectors make tough decisions themselves, it will be: VS, GG, VVSL, SRT, VK and Rohit. Alternatives are Yuvraj, if he gets well. I like Rahane but the selectors don't obviously. And Pujara.

[Sandeep]

I think VVS will draw curtains too and for him it would be a perfect time. He has never been in the same mold as Sachin/Dravid and no need to place confidence on his coming back and scoring big again. Off late he has been atrocious! His fielding and running between the wickets is a big liability. He retires or not, selectors should drop him.

[kujo]

A great career comes to an end for a true gentleman of Cricket - Rahul Dravid.

Thanks Kujo.

From now onward we are going to miss to a thorough Gentleman and technically perfect Great Cricketing Ambassador in action ... Thank you for your services to Indian cricket

jaydeep,

since you have already thanked me, I am compelled to contribute something on this thread!

so here goes some analysis:
If you simply look at the number of runs scored by Tendulkar since Rahul's debut innings in 1996, Rahul is ahead by 447 runs (13288 Vs 12841)!
Rahul's average is 52.3 runs and he has scored less than average, 66.8% of his innings. He scored 100+ runs once every 8 innings.
Sachin averages 55.4 runs and he has scored less than average, 66.6% of his innings. He scores 100+ runs once every 6 innings.


cheers
kujo

[PKBasu]

I actually watched Dravid make his international debut, in an ODI in Singapore in 1996. It was a short, tentative knock. But he came into his own in magnificent fashion on Test debut at Lord's a few months later, and never really looked back. He has been the rock-solid anchor of the Indian middle order throughout his career (apart from 2-3 poor spells, including the one that ended with his magnificent 180 at Eden Gardens in 2001). His 148 at Headingley (and the partnership with Bangar) will remain etched in the memory, as will the two great pinnacles of his career -- the 233 and 72* in one of India's greatest test victories overseas, and the epic 270 at Rawalpindi to beat Pakistan in their den. The only real blemish is the 2007 World Cup. But he almost made up for it on the tour of England that followed. Thank you, Rahul Dravid, for your inimitable contribution to Indian cricket!

[Atithee]

I have always been a huge Dravid fan so it is a sad day. But, the day comes for everyone and I hope Rahul will enjoy life with his family without the pressure of being an Indian cricket player that is unique.

Even though I was quite young when GR Viswanath retired, Rahul's retirement somehow reminds me of that.

[PKBasu]

When Sunny Gavaskar retired, I thought cricket would never be the same for me again. He actually retired from first-class cricket the day I left India (on my 23rd birthday) to study in the US. Sunny had just made 188 in the MCC vs Rest of the World match (to celebrate the Bicentenary or some other such landmark for the MCC). I loved watching Vishy too -- and can never forget his delectable 139 against the Windies at the Eden in 1974-75. But Vishy depended so much on his reflexes (rather than pure technique) for his artistic batting; once those reflexes slowed, his batting faded and he stayed on for at least 3 years well past his prime (despite the 222 he scored, almost to defy that decline, against England at home). Sunny soared even in his final cricketing years, and was able to go out on a truly high note -- having climbed the ultimate mountain (by becoming the first batsman to make 10,000 Test runs), and made that superb 96 in Bangalore, on a pitch on which nobody else could make 50, in his final Test innings.

For about 3 years in the US, I was cut off from following cricket daily (or even weekly and monthly), although ironically I began playing it again within 18 months of getting there, and by 1993 I was an avid cricket follower again -- albeit only able to watch when I was visiting England or India. (I couldn't afford to travel to the Windies, although I wish I had scrounged the money to make the trip to Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad during my years in the US). I remember watching the Asia Cup final at the Eden in 1991 mainly to see the young Sachin Tendulkar, and remember being impressed by his onside play. But that was the only time in my life I watched a game at the Eden, and didn't recognize all the Indian players (I have absolutely no memory of the fact that there was a Bengal off-spinner called SP Mukherjee playing in that game, who got the prize wicket of Aravinda in that match, or the fact that Atul Wassan also played!).

I had seen Azhar make his test debut at the Eden, and Vengsarkar his first test century there (a dour innings, unlike the elegant Vengsarkar who bloomed later), so I followed their progress even after Gavaskar left the scene. And Kapil was irresistible.

But really, it was the Great Generation -- of Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Kumble, Laxman, Sehwag, Zaheer, Harbhajan -- who took India to their greatest heights in Test cricket, with the advent of Dhoni at the crest making it a complete, unbeatable side. The Great Generation also made India a top-3 ODI side for most of their careers, and we had the enormous pleasure of following a usually-winning side for much of the period from 2001 to 2008 (when Kumble and Ganguly left the stage). With Dravid's departure, another brick in the Wall has gone, and it will never be quite the same again. But we cricket fans owe a debt of enormous gratitude to the magnificent men who finally made India a consistently top-notch cricketing side during their storied careers. Thank you again to that Great Generation. We will remember you collectively as each of you leaves the stage. But together you made us proud! Thank you!!