Keep walking, Dravid

By John Cheeran
Rahul Dravid missed a century in Mohali.
But the Indian skipper will complete a bigger century in the Mumbai Test against England, starting on Saturday.
Dravid, who began his Test career playing against England in 1996, will play in his 100th Test in Mumbai. Dravid has missed only one Test since his debut, that too recently against Sri Lanka, hard hit by a viral fever.
Another batsman who debuted along with Dravid has fallen by the wayside. He is Sourav Ganguly.
Much as there are no takers for an out-of-touch Ganguly, the Indian cricket now revolves around Dravid.
Dravid has led Team India with courage and imagination setting an example for the youngsters in the side.
Dravid has not let the pressures of captaincy affect his batting.
His batting has improved, and every time in a crisis, he has batted with utmost calm as is his wont.
To Dravid’s credit, the gentleman from Bangalore has helped to instill a no-nonsense culture across the board in Indian cricket.
Whether in declaring the Indian innings in Multan leaving Tendulkar stranded on the doorsteps of a double century, or in moving beyond a finished Ganguly, Dravid has proved himself a man of steel, a man of substance.
Dravid is one of those rare Indian, who has no need for a godfather to remain in the playing eleven. By playing for the team cause on each occasion, he has remained such an invaluable component of the side through out the decade.
Dravid has ethics, has elegance and education. He has a mind of his own.
Indian skipper has made hitherto unheard of sacrifices in Indian cricket, injuring himself and his career, by opening the innings to protect Ganguly from Pakistan fast bowlers and keeping wickets during one-day internationals so that the then skipper Ganguly could remain in the side.
Dravid is not a man obsessed by milestones.
I heard him saying in Mumbai that playing his 100th Test is an occasion to sit back and reflect how lucky he had been playing for India all this while.
It has been great journey, said the Indian skipper.
And for me, as for countless others across the world, it has been a great privilege to watch you play.
Keep walking, Dravid.