Hail The Wall (published)

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Hail The Wall that stands so tall 

Among performances that appal

He saves his team from downfall

He makes the rival’s victory stall

He watches every single ball

He gives each day, each innings his all

He is not afraid to make the tough call

Hail the Wall that stands so tall

Rahul Dravid is diligence and application personified. Even today, at 38, The Wall stands tall. He is arguably the toughest competitor in the 5-day format. He has been instrumental in forging 80 century partnerships with 18 different partners for Team India. He was introduced as the new face of the Gillette Winner program and compared with the likes of Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and Thierry Henry. That speaks volumes about his class as a Cricketer and his contribution to the game. To eclipse the likes of The Master himself and several other worthy nominees across the globe, the Dravid Brand not only exudes class but also sheer grit and reliability.

Rahul Dravid is a batsman for the cricket purist. He treads cautiously at the start of every innings, looks to get his eye in, understand the behaviour of the wicket and then build an innings. Batting for two days in a test will see this man not continue from where he left off on Day 1 but start afresh on Day 2 to build another innings altogether. Rahul Dravid has earned the nicknames Mr. Dependable and The Wall for those very reasons. He has moulded himself in such a way that he naturally plays by the book and thus makes every shot look technically correct. He is always counted amongst the most reliable players. Till Dravid is at the crease, India knows that it is in safe hands…speaking of which, Rahul Dravid has the safest pair of hands on the planet, having bagged the maximum number of catches by any Test cricketer.

Rahul Dravid is a master at adapting. He is the only batsman to have scored a century in all Test playing nations. This clearly exhibits his superior ability to effectively adjust and alter his approach according to the conditions, with limited practice games.

The Corporate World has a lot to learn from Rahul Dravid. His ability to adjust seamlessly to varying conditions could be equated to changing a company’s strategy according to market conditions or the competitive landscape. His willingness to don distinct roles, whether it is that of an opener, a middle-order batsman or a wicketkeeper illustrates the merits of changing one’s role according the team or organisation’s requirements. If there’s anyone who knows how to back himself, enjoy the contest and give the opposition a run for their money, it’s Rahul Dravid. His steely resolve has time and time again exhibited the great distances that self-belief helps covering and the milestones it helps achieving. Even when lacking support, Dravid has come out trumps and brought India out of many a sticky situation. There have been innumerable performances that have not only lifted the spirit of the team but also dampened the spirit of an initially confident opponent. Motivating your team with words can never be as effective as motivating your team with actions. However tough the opposition, however trying the conditions, however low the odds, Dravid has always been a force to be reckoned with.

The fact that Dravid has always made the opposition earn his wicket makes him all the more a prized scalp. If I had Goliath as an opponent, I would back Dravid more than David to win the contest.