the dravidian era

When i started this blog two years ago, i vowed never to write on cricket. it just takes up too much of our mindspace in India, in my opinion... plus, even though passion for cricket flows thro my blood like it does most other indians, there are way too many experts. everyone's got an opinion... why, i had at least three people tell me to tell vidyut to play more along the ground, or some shit like that... people i myself barely know, let alone poor vid!
anyway, now that i've got that out of my system... i AM going to write about cricket. and it has taken a really momentous occasion, something that i really feel strongly, even emotionally about. actually, not so much an incident - a series of incidents. my favourite cricketer ever is being edged out of international cricket, and for me, its an absolute tragedy.
yes i know, sachin's career is coming to a close (i don't give a fuck) and saurav was dropped from one-dayers (nothing could have given me greater joy)... but noone seems to give a damn that india's greatest batsman - i'm conscious of the superlatives i'm using here, but i'm actually holding back - is slowly being edged out of the Indian team.
Rahul, of course... what will I do without that gorgeous cover drive, those elegant flicks to leg, and that hook shot he industriously mastered over the years? Because if Rahul Dravid wasn't India's best batsman over the last decade, then I don't know who was. (Please, not the T word... I'll slay my own dad if he said that [tho i know he won't, he's as big a fan of R. as i am])
I will argue my case. In '96, Saurav and Rahul burst into the scene, Saurav with those unbelievable shots to off, and Dravid with his industrious approach... And as Indians, as worshippers of beauty over utility, we all wanted more of Saurav. And Rahul, good solid plodder of the old fashioned type. could be useful in the middle order.
except that in South Africa in '98, he was pretty much the whole order. India 66 all out, Rahul 21. ANd then that fantastic 148 in the most trying of circumstances. And how about those centuries in New Zealand when everyone else was struggling to get bat on ball? But no, its the gorgeous shots that Saurav and Sachin play on dusty Indian wickets that we remember... "Arre, he's too slow yaar" were the comments when Dravid came in to bat.
He was slow - and he is slow compared to the rest. But honestly, in a country that professes to be knowledgable about cricket, I don't know why we couldn't grasp this simple fact - it's all very well to look good out in the middle, but we need to win matches. Kapil Dev once famously said, when coach of the Indian team, "my players are artists" - well, if sachin and saurav are artists, Rahul's the architect. He's the expert in symmetry, with the elbow always pointing perfectly heavenward when playing those straight drives... his right knee lightly brushing the turf when he plays that perfect cover drive, his head perfectly in position; his body arching, and his feet leaving the ground when he left a particularly nasty bouncer from the world's fastest bowlers.
Where were the artists when all this was happening? Back in the pavilion, watching Rahul sweat it out with some trembling tail-ender at the other end.
Anyway, those were the dark days of Indian cricket.
Rays of sunshine forced their way thro when Saurav took over the captaincy - abrasive and in-your-face, he fought the Australian fire with fire. He got under Steve Waugh's skin, which honestly, was a really fantastic achievement (and so satisfying!). But if Ganguly was fighting India's mental battles, who was the actual brigade and infantry? Rahul, certainly, Javagal Srinath for awhile, Anil Kumble - (what on Earth would India have done without him?? The mind boggles at the thought.)
And Rahul was still taking flak, but then, that wonder-stand with Laxman in Kolkata when they batted the whole day against the world's best bowling attack. McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicz and Warne didn't even look like getting a wicket that day, as Laxman time and again stepped out and adjusted his shot depending on where Warne pitched it. And that was Warne at his best. Rahul meanwhile, had taken an absolute battering from the commentators (particularly the indomitable Mr SG), dropped down to No. 6, and he came up with an unbelievable innings in the heat of the Eden Gardens. He stepped down the wicket, drove Warne past mid-on to reach his century, and gestured violently towards the media box. He was furious, and there was no doubt who that display was targeted at - that Mumbaikar to beat all Mumbaikars, Sunil Gavaskar. I remember my dad being shocked and disapproving, but honestly, what's India come to if a man is to be rebuked for being violent towards Sunil Gavaskar? He should be awarded a knighthood or something.
The outrage when Ganguly was dropped from the one-day team (actually, i personally feel he shldve been dropped from tests, and kept in the one-dayers, given he has twenty ODI centuries, but there you go, that's Indian selectors for you)... but whatever, the point is, rioting in the streets? carrying posters that say 'Chaple is a terorist' (sic)?
On the other hand, maybe its we south indians who aren't strong enough. maybe we should burn effigies of some character when dravid or laxman is dropped (riots in gujarat bcos parthiv patel was not selected for australia last year... i mean, seriously, parthiv patel! what the fuck's going on?)
Anyways, back to Rahul. Personally, I'm not the kind of guy who has role models but if I had to choose someone, it would be him. When Ganguly was on the verge of being thrown out of the team, Rahul quietly came out with the statement that he was 100% behind his captain (even though he was captain elect, and surely nourished ambitions of leading India).
Did ganguly return the favour when their roles were reversed? when rahul suggested that the big three stay out of the 20-20 world cup, saurav agreed, and later made a statement that rahul forced him to sit out. I really admire the way ganguly has fought his way back into the indian team in the recent past, but let's face it - the guy's a twat.

Anyway, Rahul... In Australia, he's in the worst form of his lifetime, but the way he focused, and battled, and fought, and ground his way among the runs. Honestly, that's something anyone can take inspiration from in any walk of life. The way he takes guard again after getting a 100, and then coolly bats another couple of sessions, picking up another hundred runs along the way... You're thinking when he gets his hundred, ok Rahul, lets see some shots now, but he studiously lets the next ball go. Its frustrating for the Indian viewer, but think how much more frustrating for the bowler? And THAT's what really matters.

And once again, what a lesson for anyone in any walk of life. Never relax once you've crossed a hill - there's always a steeper, higher hill to climb.

And anyway, whats this shit about him not being aesthetically pleasing? I take issue with it. Ganguly, except when he's playing those shots thro cover, looks downright clumsy, and Sachin, yes, he plays those fab straight drives, but you can't use the adjective 'gorgeous' when he clumps the ball through mid-wicket.

But when Rahul is cutting the ball behind point, or flicking it thro mid-wicket - now that's class. The only batsmen I would say were as good or better to watch were Damien Martyn (lucky enough to see a gorgeous match-saving century of his at the stadium in Chennai) and Michael Vaughan when he's in form.

So you lot can keep your Tendulkars and your Pontings and your Pietersens... Give me a pint of beer, a shady spot on a warm summer's day in Australia, and Laxman and Dravid quietly, almost drowsily, accumulating runs... a silken drive here, a delicate glance there...