The Wall that had to Fall!!

He runs in from the boundary line. Puts in all the effort. 150+ Kilometers per hour. The batsman watches such a ferocious delivery pitch outside off stump. What does he do next? Nothing. He leaves it alone. The bowler marks his run up again. The sequence repeats. What frustration Shoaib Akthar would have endured to see the batsman leave his deliveries repeatedly??

Fast Forward to March 9, 2012. There is a press conference. He walks in and sits in front of the mike. Doesn’t wait for too long. Straightaway, he starts saying "I would like to announce my retirement from international and domestic first-class cricket. It is 16 years since I played my first Test match for India and today I feel it is time to move on. Once I was like every other boy in India, with a dream of playing for my country. Yet I could never have imagined a journey so long and so fulfilling."

Everyone is shocked even though it was expected yet no one was sure of what was happening. Without indignity, in his ever calm style, he goes on to complete his speech. Tributes to a legend have already started on Social Media. All round the world.

Hope you have guessed already, who am I talking about. Hailed as The Wall of Indian Cricket, Rahul Dravid carved his own legacy in the era of Sachin Tendulkar. He was so selfless, doing whatever the team needed him to do. Opened the innings, batted in the middle order, kept wickets, stood at slip and what not?? While doing all this, he was also humble. Never the rash behavior you would associate with modern day Kohlis or Gambhirs.

Eden Gardens, 2001. Who can forget the epic he and Laxman built to deny Australia the final frontier. Australia never conquered the Final Frontier and The Fab Four had a major part to play in it every time. He lead India to 19 successive wins in ODI chases. He lead the side in their most tricky and challenging period of his generation---the post Ganguly, pre-Dhoni era. The period when Greg Chappell was not loved anymore.

He lead India during one of its worst WC campaigns in 2007. He admirably remained strong during one of the worst dressing room atmospheres precipitated by Chappell. After defeat in WC’07, he duly resigned. Chappell’s reign had ended, he had a successor found in Dhoni, the tough times were over, now he stepped away. He could have continued to lead the side in easier times and taken credit for better performances. But he didn’t. He put his team’s good before his own.

He continues with his performances for the test side. He is dropped from the ODI team. India go up to No.1 in test cricket. India travel to England after WC 2011. 2000^th test match at Lord’s, A battle for No.1 spot. First Day it rains, India pick up three wickets in whatever play possible, but lose Zaheer Khan. The decline begins. Harbhajhan is ineffective. Even Dhoni rolls his arm over. All this to no avail. He battles single-handedly. India lose. Gambhir’s turn to leave the tour due to concussion. No Sehwag due to injury. India keep losing personnel.

Amid all this, Dravid continues to battle. He is the last dying light in a team that is dying a rapid and painful death. They are whitewashed. But Dravid hits three hundreds in the tour. If there was one batsman who put up a fight, it was Dravid. Throughout the tour. He is called up to the ODI side now. He could have made a late ODI career out of this chance. He doesn’t. He honours the selectors decision to call him up by agreeing to play that series but announces his ODI retirement at the end of it. India return winless from England. But one bad tour of Australia and everybody lose their mind. Second Successive whitewash. Critics start calling for the retirement of the seniors, sacking of Dhoni. Returns to India. Lets his emotions settle. Calls for the fateful press conference. Walks away with dignity.

He was a thorn in the flesh of the opponents for so long with his dour defence. For a lot of times, He was an impenetrable wall between India and defeat.

A WALL THAT STOOD IN BETWEEN INDIA AND DEFEAT FOR SO LONG. A WALL THAT STOOD STRONG TO ALLOW PLAYERS LIKE SACHIN PLAY FREELY. A WALL THAT SERVED A NATION FOR 16 YEARS. YET A WALL THAT WAS NOT IMMORTAL. ONE DAY IT HAD TO FALL. IT DID FALL, IT WAS NOT DEMOLISHED. IT CHOSE TO FALL ON ITS OWN.

A ROYAL SALUTE TO THE WALL OF INDIAN CRICKET. MAY YOUR LEGACY LIVE LONG!!!