Entry into the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame is a matter of prestige for any cricketer. Till date, India only had four cricketers viz, Bishan Singh Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble into the Hall. The latest addition is that of Rahul Dravid along with Ricky Ponting and former England woman cricketer, Claire Taylor. In a career spanning 16 years, Dravid, the stupendous batsman, has worked his way to the top. Whenever one talks about him, the word ‘selfless’ comes to one’s mind. Though known to keep to himself, his immense contribution to the Indian cricket speaks for itself. For him everything else paled into insignificance in comparison to putting the county’s interest above personal interests.
A through and through team man, the batsman played in various positions, including as an opener to suit the team. Any country, any condition, the coach could turn to one player — Dravid because of his technical prowess. His dependable strengths were his character, humility, patience and calmness. He preferred to remain in the background and let his bat do the talking. His refusal to accept the honorary doctorate of the Bangalore University because “he had not done anything substantial by way of sport research” spoke volumes about his intent. Now, as a successful under-19 coach, he is an inspiration for aspiring youngsters wanting to make it big in cricket.