Debunking the 'Rahul Dravid did not get what he deserved' myth

Rahul Dravid

When you look at Rahul Dravid, you see the face of a very satisfied man. And why wouldn’t you? The legend has carried the burden of a billion hopes since time immemorial, even more so in the longest format, and achieved success and recognition that is hardly superseded by half a dozen players over the world in the modern era. It is hence extremely unfortunate that there is a school of thought some fans have that Dravid did not get what he deserved, a rant so popular and timeless that it competes with all other rants that come and go but manages to hold firm. What else can you expect? It’ll have Dravid’s characteristics, won’t it?

Let us have a look at some of these popular rants:

Rant #1

Overshadowed even on his debut

Sorry, he was not. He got his fair share of praise, too. But the headlines would obviously belong to the other debutant, the prince of Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly, who scored two centuries in his first two innings, as opposed to the two fifties Dravid scored. But this does not, in anyway, mean that the Karnataka batsman was not credited: his knock had pleased critics all over the world, his technique had impressed them even more than the left-hander. The headlines, however, did not belong to him as much as they belonged to Ganguly, and understandably so.

Rant #2

Not as much credits as he deserved as a batsman

There are two questions I really want an answer to: One is how life began on Earth, and the other is where on earth did this statement come from. I’m hopeful my former will be answered, but I’ve given up on the latter. Critics mutually agree that Dravid is one of the greatest Indian Test batsman in the modern era, some go further to say he is the greatest Indian batsman of the modern era, and some give him the ultimate accolade: the best batsman in India’s history. He has always been seen to have the finest technique in the game, which, barring his elbow position, comes straight off the coaching manual. The stories of how many matches he has saved and won single-handedly as well as in a supporting role, especially abroad, find their place in the folklore of Indian cricket.

Rant #3

No proper farewell

I’m very worried about the people who think so. I really am. Trust me, there is hope. I will support you, refer you to some good people who can help you. How is it possible to give someone a farewell when the person himself did not know it was his last Test? It’s similar to you leaving a place forever, and, after you come home, you tell everyone you’ve left it, and then all of a sudden the whole world is angry that no one gave you a proper farewell! Does it make any sense at all?

The Test season had just ended, and there were nearly 6 months to the start of the home season; Dravid thought it would be unwise to wait so long just for the sake of a farewell Test; therefore, he chose to retire immediately, as it will give his potential replacements a chance to impress with the motivation of an empty slot in the Test line-up. Hardly surprising for a man who ran into the dressing room whilst receiving an ovation after his final action in ODI cricket, because he did not want to waste time. Anyone still feeling he needs another reason to run may watch this video:

Rant #4

Sachin Tendulkar got the Bharat Ratna; Dravid did not

Let us face the truth: Sachin Tendulkar has achieved way more than Dravid in terms of statistical records and was easily superior to him when it came to limited overs play. To be consistent for 20 years is not a joke. If anyone deserves to get the award, it is him first and everyone else later. However, Dravid, who was the backbone of India's batting during their period of strength at home and abroad in the past decade, was nominated for the Khel Ratna, India's highest honour in sports along with having won the Arjuna Award in 1998 and was given the Padma Shri in 2004. In 2013, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, which is India’s third-highest civilian award, joining a pool of only 9 other esteemed cricketers like Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Lala Amarnath. And only one Indian cricketer has ever received a higher honor among 282 players who played for the country. Unfortunately, the comparison is still with that one player and not the remaining 280.

Rant #5

No commercial success

I really don’t want to burst your bubble, but it’s time you know this. It might break your heart, but I’m sure you will live with it, maybe you are used to living with broken things. You ready? Here you go: Dravid was not a film or a television actor! Where does this thought even come from! He did not do as many commercials as other players did? He was a cricketer, and I’m sure he preferred playing cricket, not doing advertisements. And thank goodness for that, too. If he had done commercials, the exact same people would have said that he did too many of those.

These are only some of the examples that people tend to cite whilst saying that Dravid did not get what he deserved. The hard truth is, yes, his era coincided with one of the greatest ever to play the game, and it is obvious that the other player will get more of the spotlight; unfortunately, though, that is being considered equivalent to him not getting what he deserved. Did he really not? The biggest irony is, the very thought that he did not get what he deserved shows exactly what sentiments there are for this great man.

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