Quitting Greatness…

Befitting a Shakespearean drama, he called quits on the date he made his debut in test cricket years earlier. But he was not vacating a place for a youngster, retiring from a profession or bidding farewell to his passion. He was quitting greatness, achieved on combining ‘vocation with avocation’, and all that Dravid brought to the game.

“Talent without hard work does not carry you far. I combined both”.

Cricket is not my religion. There is not even a T-20 match that I have watched ball to ball, neither do I claim to be Dravid fan as countless others. But this testimony to the great man comes from the adjectives that have and will forever be associated with him; ones which I wish to imbibe in my life as well. It’s not just about his technique of the cricket he played, but how he played it. He was not just a wall. He was an architect, one that meticulously planned a strong foundation, and then had his glory snatched away from the interior decorators. Maybe 'the wall' befits him as a epithet in more ways than one but never completely.

Probably the last gentleman in the Gentleman’s Game, his career blossomed with two of the finest and the most popular batsmen of this age, in a country where ‘messihanism’ trumps true talent. His exit befitting his character came not after a triumphant win, possibly at home, with a standing ovation from the stadia of people. Rather the media, as all along his 16 year long career, took his retirement as precursor to Sachin’s, pushing the gentleman the background, the wall if you will. His records have that vitriolic predecessor attached to them injustifying his batting talent. That being ‘second’ or the ‘third’. The ‘second’ highest run getter, century maker and so on.

I hereby discuss the traits of this man which are not just for cricket, but life.

First, he got nothing without labour. Sweat, strive, struggle, practice, reform, accomplish were inseparable part of his cricketing chores, ones that our lives are made. An incorrigible spirit which refused to say die, making improvements in perfection, even if it was in the method he left a ball.

If a man’s first judge is his clothes his spotless whites, in the true spirit of the game, never revealed the dusty work he put in the field. His traditional, cherished, crumpled cap represented a man who respects his game as himself. He played his game with dignity, a word heading in oblivion. He brought a distinct splendor to his style through relentless pursuit of excellence. All his expressions played in symphony at when it was time to display them: at the crease, his place of work, not in press conferences.

Learning from his cricket, for life, was his towing to the adage of ‘A successful man makes more opportunities than are presented to him’. Like a true motivational figure, a fact hereitho forgotten in his tabulations of records, is a fact that makes him bigger than any record holder, better than any player of the game, any God, would be his rising to the occasion, taking risks, proving a point, and being the perfectionist. Yes, he did create opportunities, took to wearing shoes that seemed too big for him and walked away with the ease and class of a ramp walker.

I am referring to the infinite occasions when he played out of his zone of comfort and create a special space in territories unexplored. A wicket-keeper, captain, no. 3, no. 6, opener, anything. No other player was used as him, and he with a classy disregard performed selflessly in a selfish game in its most selfish era.
All through the 2003 world cup he was behind the stumps on the call of his captain, even when he holds the record for the highest catches. And it was this sacrifice on his part that the Indian team with 7 batsmen sailed to the finals. In the final, when all gave in even before facing a ball, he with Sehwag raised the hope by bringing the run rate close to the asking. 

In test a no.3 player, he walked out to open the innings against Pakistan, against a daunting total, and converted that to record opening partnership.

He took over the captaincy of the side at the most difficult and controversial of occasions, and while the whole team lashed out against the Down Under Coach of Change, he in a dignified state kept his cool.

And when they found someone better to lead the side, he quietly bowed out, not just on the national side, but even in the League games.

That my friend is the true character of greatness. Not only to rise to the occasion and deliver but bow out when you there is someone better. Most of us, filled with envy wouldn’t accept that, but then we are a long way from the first stepping stone of goodness. Greatness and true talent is what can accept it. His daunting character helped him score runs when others failed, that is in the most challenging situations. And therein I find another lesson for life.

Learning from the style of the batsman in our everyday life is something not many sportsman can boast of.  That when his life has not been eulogized like many others.

Records do not speak truly of a person, and the wide gap between them is evident from our experience of the university marksheets and the person himself. But not caring for them but for our dignified work in our realm, persistently pursual of our passion, filled with a deep desire to outplay ourselves, the infinite capacity to learn, confidence to rise to an occasion, otherwise unknown, untried and excel, the daunting spirit to succeed when all about you are failing, never say die and never leave your true character maybe that is what greatness is all about.

The game, the man goes on to teach you all about life, and how to live it: a warrior, a gentleman, a perfectionist even in this age.

Ps: And to look for the perfect example of bouncing back from defeat would be the Eden Garden test match against Australia where we won after the follow on. NO record will ever justify that. That test match may just be the perfect dramatization of life.