16 moments to remember 16 glorious years as an international cricketer
“Dravid batted like a man possessed. Pure magic.”
A few of these memories stand out from the rest; they pop into my head every time I think of Dravid and am overcome by nostalgia. To those moments I've added a few other memorable memories with the help of a little extra thought. Taken alone & as a group, they are what separates the Dravid-wheat from mere mortal chaff.
01.
If memory serves, Dravid was run-out in his first international innings. Azhar was with him at the crease and the debutant barely troubled the scorers. He certainly didn't make it into double-figures. Even though it was just his first match, there were a lot of expectations on his young shoulders amidst the hype of his domestic success. I think his first match was in a tri-series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Singapore. He obviously exuded class but could he cut the mustard?
02.
I think Dravid was dropped after a few matches and didn't return until the series to England over the summer of 1996, a couple months after his ODI debut. Dravid and Ganguly didn't play in the first Test which we lost. They made their debut at Lord's. Ganguly scored a ton, Dravid was tragically caught behind on 95, batting at number 7 (I think). In the third Test at Trent Bridge, Sachin and Ganguly hit centuries, while Dravid made 84. This would become a feature of his career.
03.
Later that year India toured South Africa. In the first Test at Durban, the Proteas were knocked over for 235. We were ecstatic, so much so we felt confident enough to leave the team to their own devices and take a hike outta town for a camping trip. Only to return and face the shock-horror on Day 3 of a spineless collapse in both innings. We scored 100 and 66 on a lively Kingsmead green-top. We missed the first innings and a bit of the second, but we caught enough of Dravid standing tall amongst the ruins with 27*. That's when I realised what a special talent he was. As the others fell over like ten pins, Dravid's fearless hooking salvaged whatever remaining grace there was left in that performance. At the very least, we knew there was one batsman with the technique to succeed abroad.
04.
Later that tour we competed in an ODI tri-series with Zimbabwe. It's one I remember well because it marked the second successful series in Robin Singh's comeback. But as far as Dravid was concerned, the abiding memory for me was *that six off Allan Donald* in the replayed final. Rain had forced the first final to be abandoned and it curtailed the second match as well. India were chasing 270-odd (I think) in 40/41 overs. Tendulkar had given us two great starts in both the finals, and I can't exactly remember if the controversy over his caught-at-point dismissal was in the first or second final. Regardless, the stage was set for Dravid in the second final. He scored 84 (off 90, I think) in a losing cause. But it didn't matter. Or perhaps it did at the time. Not now anyhoo, because I'll always remember *that six*. For over a decade I've been searching for a replay of it online, to no avail. Not even robelinda2 seems to have it in his archives! If you're wondering what was so special about it, there had been some argy between Donald, the other close-field Saffers and Dravid. The Proteas sensed an opportunity to go for the kill. And with White Lightning storming in at full pelter, you can imagine how ecstatic we were when Dravid deposited him into the midwicket/long-on stands with a mere flick of the wrists. We were hosting a dinner party at home that night and usually it's bad manners to leave the telly on when you've got guests, but dad made an exception that night. I mean he had to right? But for the weather, the final would not have conflicted with the party in the first place! I was thirteen at the time and there were quite a few other Indian kids and parents who were keen to follow the match while catching up on the city gossip. Dravid batted like a man possessed. Pure magic.
To be continued...
A few of these memories stand out from the rest; they pop into my head every time I think of Dravid and am overcome by nostalgia. To those moments I've added a few other memorable memories with the help of a little extra thought. Taken alone & as a group, they are what separates the Dravid-wheat from mere mortal chaff.
01.
If memory serves, Dravid was run-out in his first international innings. Azhar was with him at the crease and the debutant barely troubled the scorers. He certainly didn't make it into double-figures. Even though it was just his first match, there were a lot of expectations on his young shoulders amidst the hype of his domestic success. I think his first match was in a tri-series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Singapore. He obviously exuded class but could he cut the mustard?
02.
I think Dravid was dropped after a few matches and didn't return until the series to England over the summer of 1996, a couple months after his ODI debut. Dravid and Ganguly didn't play in the first Test which we lost. They made their debut at Lord's. Ganguly scored a ton, Dravid was tragically caught behind on 95, batting at number 7 (I think). In the third Test at Trent Bridge, Sachin and Ganguly hit centuries, while Dravid made 84. This would become a feature of his career.
03.
Later that year India toured South Africa. In the first Test at Durban, the Proteas were knocked over for 235. We were ecstatic, so much so we felt confident enough to leave the team to their own devices and take a hike outta town for a camping trip. Only to return and face the shock-horror on Day 3 of a spineless collapse in both innings. We scored 100 and 66 on a lively Kingsmead green-top. We missed the first innings and a bit of the second, but we caught enough of Dravid standing tall amongst the ruins with 27*. That's when I realised what a special talent he was. As the others fell over like ten pins, Dravid's fearless hooking salvaged whatever remaining grace there was left in that performance. At the very least, we knew there was one batsman with the technique to succeed abroad.
04.
Later that tour we competed in an ODI tri-series with Zimbabwe. It's one I remember well because it marked the second successful series in Robin Singh's comeback. But as far as Dravid was concerned, the abiding memory for me was *that six off Allan Donald* in the replayed final. Rain had forced the first final to be abandoned and it curtailed the second match as well. India were chasing 270-odd (I think) in 40/41 overs. Tendulkar had given us two great starts in both the finals, and I can't exactly remember if the controversy over his caught-at-point dismissal was in the first or second final. Regardless, the stage was set for Dravid in the second final. He scored 84 (off 90, I think) in a losing cause. But it didn't matter. Or perhaps it did at the time. Not now anyhoo, because I'll always remember *that six*. For over a decade I've been searching for a replay of it online, to no avail. Not even robelinda2 seems to have it in his archives! If you're wondering what was so special about it, there had been some argy between Donald, the other close-field Saffers and Dravid. The Proteas sensed an opportunity to go for the kill. And with White Lightning storming in at full pelter, you can imagine how ecstatic we were when Dravid deposited him into the midwicket/long-on stands with a mere flick of the wrists. We were hosting a dinner party at home that night and usually it's bad manners to leave the telly on when you've got guests, but dad made an exception that night. I mean he had to right? But for the weather, the final would not have conflicted with the party in the first place! I was thirteen at the time and there were quite a few other Indian kids and parents who were keen to follow the match while catching up on the city gossip. Dravid batted like a man possessed. Pure magic.
To be continued...