Celebrating 13 years of THE WALL

If I'll ever have to ask somebody to bat for my life then it’ll have to be Rahul Dravid — Brian Charles Lara

13 years ago, June 20, 1996, a young cricketer stepped at cricket’s Mecca, Lord’s, becoming the 207^th player to represent India in international Cricket.

Making his debut for India with an ambition to be one bracketed amongst his idols, Gavaskar and Vishwanath, this player no. 207 for India is now known as THE WALL of the Indian Cricket team, the most dependable and consistent batsman Indian cricket has ever produced.

13 years have passed ever since Dravid made his debut and with his flawless, classy technique, charismatic batting and rock solid defense, undoubtedly the man has not transformed himself into the most reliable Test player and most dependable bat in world but has also achieved his ultimate goal.

With over 10,000 runs in both Tests and ODIs, a record 184 Test catches, 5 double centuries and countless match winning efforts, the man silenced all his critics with his bat. Once labeled as unfit for ODI, the man today has an unmatched record not only in ODIs but also the shortest format of the game, T20.

His contribution to the Indian Cricket has been immense, and correctly summed up by Navjot Singh Sidhu, “Rahul is a player who’ll walk on broken glass if his team tells him to.”

To Dravid,

Started watching cricket the day you scored your first double ton in Delhi. Ever since then, I knew one thing, until Dravid is there, no harm done!

As a cricket fan I have grown up learning Dravid and defeat can’t be framed into one sentence. As far as I remember, the only time you’ve disappointed me was the day you got married!

Thank you for those amazing 13 years you’ve selflessly dedicated to Indian cricket.

Thanks for giving the confidence to tell the world that I am “Proud to be a Rahul Dravid Fan”

Thanks for being there whenever the team required.

Hats off to you!

With LOVE!

Purnima