Nasty Battles #11 - Rahul Dravid Vs Sachin Tendulkar

Cricket Scenario in India - India, as we know is a cricket-crazy nation. Forget being crazy about the sport, people often follow it like a religion, treating cricketers like gods.

   

OH so Sachin! - Talking about cricket,the first name that Indians like to take is that of Sachin Tendulkar, someone whom they regard as THE GOD OF CRICKET. Sachin is a cricketer  who needs no introduction.He has been such an amazing ambassador of our nation. His very name brings so much pride to all Indians. Being the only cricketer in World History to hit 100 centuries, Sachin played for India over 25 years. No doubt he is a legend of the game, his fans worship him. No offense to the stalwart, but his fans while preaching about him put down other legends of the game. 

They treat other cricketers as amateurs or perhaps even nonexistent at times. As ardent sports freaks, fans mustn't forget that no individual is greater than the sport. Sachin is a great cricketer. It is only due to some chauvinists that many Indians now, feel irked by the fact that Indian cricket had just one stalwart.

Their biggest target is another legend, and Sachin Tendulkar's comrade both on and off the field, Rahul Dravid.

Dravid-y Cricket - Indian cricket would be privileged to have got an ambassador like Rahul Dravid. He played for 16 long years, adjusting and fitting in every possible position for his side. He opened, kept wickets, bowled, entered in at 3, sometimes at 7, fielded at second slip, stood for as long as 12 hours at the crease when his side needed him. With every game he played, he grew better and emerged as a Victorian all the time. The kind of a selfless cricketer that he was, his recognition and fame were often overshadowed by Sachin's. 

Even if he hit a century or a double-hundred, he wouldn't be thanked as much as Sachin for just hitting some odd runs, in the same match for Sachin's runs perhaps came from heaven. If Sachin missed a catch, it is a difficult one, or perhaps the batsman's foul play. But nobody ever acknowledged Dravid's skill, it was only he, who took 210 catches as a non-wicketkeeper( now Jacques KALLIS too). His consistency, commitment , class and efforts all went unnoticed in front of Sachin.

Dravid, often called The Wall for his strength,was one of India's most consistent cricketers. He was regarded as team India's Mr.Dependable, for he endured all the pressure and battled India out of many difficult, rather more than difficult situations. There were times, where nobody could stand at the crease, but Dravid THE TECHNICIAN OF CRICKET struck 3 centuries. ( England tour,2011)His technique is applauded by cricketers all over the world. Many cricketers consider it their luck that they got a chance to play with him. Even opponents respected him. 

Let's End It - Well, this debate would go on for a few more decades to decide who was better. As Sachin's fans say " If cricket is our religion, SACHIN is our GOD", I'd like to regard my role model , Rahul Dravid as the LORD of LORDS. He started playing test cricket for India at Lords , got out for 95 debuting alongside Sourav Ganguly, who hit a century in the same match. Ever since, Dravid's century seemed pending at Lords, which he finally hit before retiring. I'd like to quote, if Sachin is a superhero,  Dravid is the Dark Knight.

As an Indian cricket freak, I'd like to admit that..

- Rtr Richa Gupta

Rotaract Club of NM College

P. S. As is evident from above, the writer is a die-hard Dravid fan. So do not judge the nepotism ;)