Canterbury: It has been 11 years since Rahul Dravid spent a summer in Kent playing county cricket but fans here still talk of the senior Indian batsman as one of their own and a benchmark for consummate professionalism.
Dravid’s figures — 1221 runs from 16 matches at 55.50 with two centuries — aren’t too phenomenal.
But those few months are still spoken of with awe and admiration for the much-liked batsman. It is still impossible to initiate a discussion on Dravid the person before locals have spoken about his cricket and cricketing manners.
Martin McCague, the fast bowler of the club who played Tests for England in the 90s, is absolutely beholden to the Indian star.
“Everyone talks about how he stamped his authority against Shane Warne at Portsmouth that season when the Wizard of Oz tried everything to plot his downfall. Dravid had a 70-odd in the first innings and absolutely brilliant century in the second.
“Then there was that innings against Andy Caddick on a diabolical pitch where the ball was spitting fire. He made 90 but it was a sensational knock.
“Dravid tended to keep low on the ball and since he also tried to play with soft hands, it was inevitable he was rapped and hit quite often on his fingers,” remembers McCague.
Outside cricket, Dravid did everything which a professional is expected to do in county circuit.
“I remember he always made himself available for team meal dinners. He could have excused himself at times if he wanted to but he never did so,” adds McCague.
Dravid, over the years, has developed a habit to read a lot but McCague doesn’t recall him with books a lot those days.
“He liked sitting by the window and looking outside in the dressing room. He always seemed to be thinking one thing or the other.”
McCague also remembers Dravid as someone who was intense but never too preoccupied.
“He always had time for others. If youngsters came over, Rahul was willing to speak to them, share his experiences and offer advice if required. He never kept himself aloof or showed any chip on his shoulder.”
The affection for Dravid was visible at St. Lawrence ground where he was honoured and felicitated on the pitch during Indians vs Kent match on Friday by the county officials as one of their own lads who now straddles the stage of international cricket like a giant.
Now a veteran of 157 Tests, game’s fourth biggest century maker, the second highest scorer ever in Test cricket, Dravid seems in as prime a force now as he was a decade ago. (PTI)