No other cricketer's image adorned the walls of my room like yours did.
From the days Big fan released a cricket card along with their gum, I always held one more of your card than any other cricketer in my collection. Not that I didn't like them, just that I liked you that much more.
The first century of yours at Chepauk, Chennai and the subsequent celebration of yours, the way you did, with your bat held high and swiping at all the crowd, in a thankful manner. That is the gesture that I talked for one whole day, the very next day in school. A gesture and celebration I always tried to do when I did well while playing cricket. Just that every move of yours was something that I cherished.
That started a long debate of who is best in Indian cricket, back in 1998 itself, with arguments with Sachin fans never ending. Alas, that discussion subsided soon after, coz we realized you are a class of your own. Sachin is considered a gifted player, everybody confirms to that. Sourav a flair player. But it is you who proved to all through your hard work and determination and technic that anybody can be a player, if only they wanted to be. For that, you rank higher for me than anybody else.
I have always watched you closely, in fact, one eye will always be on you when you play a game. I celebrated your success as mine, your struggles as mine. In fact, had a tear on my eyes when I saw you totally lost after that 2007 WC, which you lead India in to. It was not your fault that India didn't do well, but you took it yourself and that image of yours still evokes sadness in me.
Sourav is a great captain, coz he had you. That says enough about you and your captaincy as well.
I never know anybody else who has gotten out so many times in the 90's than you. May be Michael Slater comes close. Despite that, your career and records speak of staggering heights and volume to them.
Your centuries in New Zealand in the beginning of 99 and the subsequent top score of WC 1999 in Englad showed to the world your class agains really good bowling attack. There are so many more records of yours that I cannot even begin to list down, coz there are so many. But most important of them all, is the way you conducted yourself. Always subdued, never letting any bad word or intent around. Flashing a smile, even in the worst of dismissals of umpires, never showing the disrespect and going back to doing what you do the best. Playing well.
The way you bid adieu is also, typical Dravid. Thanking everybody and heaping praises on them when all of us know that you never got your due, ever, coz somebody else did something more flashy than you.
I have never met you in person, but would like to do so if an opportunity where to come for me in future. All that apart, for me, you are special; coz, I have never held anybody's picture in my wallet except yours. Rahul Dravid - My Hero
