Dravid Likely to Retire

[Viscount Tom]

Someone tell Dizzy to sign him for Yorkshire.

Can see his reasoning though India don't play another test series overseas for a few years.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

An all time great player and a wonderful human being. He will be missed greatly. I hope he goes on to achieve whatever he wants from life after cricket.

 

[smash84]

so if he wants to be a serial killer after cricket you would like him to achieve that?

 

[Spikey]

and the first victim would be Imran.

 

[weldone]

Doesn't seem too long ago when he debuted against England in '96..had all the qualities of a future great in the making...and what a great batsman he has been over the years! Among the absolute best against both swing and spin in all conditions...had his minor problems against bounce in bouncy conditions at times, but that doesn't stop him from being called an ATG..a servant to Indian cricket he always was...

Will miss him at no. 3 in Indian test lineup...

 

[Satguru]

A champion batsman, a definite ATG cricketer who has played a ton of memorable, world class innings in testing conditions, and an absolutely top class bloke. Had the chance to speak to him in person in 2007, and its very difficult to find someone as genuinely nice as him.
Pity his last series was forgettable but still, his final year in test cricket before that disastrous tour was vintage Dravid... great hundred in difficult conditions in the west indies to win us the match, and then 3 stunning hundreds with virtuously no support from his teammates in England, typical of Dravid at his peak in the mid 2000s.

 

[Jono]

One of the all-time greats, love the guy to bits.

He will hopefully do some good for Karnataka at the administrative level, and ultimately, Indian cricket upon his retirement.

 

[Arachnodouche]

@weldone: Don't think he ever had a problem against bounce per se. The only glaringly regular mode of dismissal that stands out in memory, even during his peak, might be the ball evading the inside of the bat.

I didn't watch him in England but the overwhelming memory of Dravid over the past three years has been the awfully patchy and tentative batsman that he was reduced to. The forward defensive, once so formidable and impregnable, seemed to have a lost a bit of its solidity; the bat reaching out to meet the ball, the backfoot moving after blocking the ball. A sure sign of faltering balance.

I'm glad he's called quits on his own and confirmed his general class. (hoping this announcement is indeed a farewell obviously). The most important batsman India has produced in the last 15 years without whom our fleeting successes abroad would never have happened.

 

[Furball]

Someone tell Dizzy to sign him for Yorkshire.

Can see his reasoning though India don't play another test series overseas for a few years.

Their next Test series is overseas.

I'll always remember Dravid for his heroics in England, both on and off the field.

 

[turnstyle]

Without a shadow of a doubt he is the second greatest batsman in 135 years of test crucjet.


No. 1 of course being Greg Mail

 

[benchmark00]

Without a shadow of a doubt he is the second greatest batsman in 135 years of test crucjet.


No. 1 of course being Greg Mail

Always delivered.

 

[Jacknife]

My favorite player outside England, the guy just oozes class and a ATG batmen, what's not to love about the bloke.

 

[smash84]

my favorite Indian player of the last decade I should add.

Class player, classy guy. Will be missed

 

[ankitj]

Without Dravid India would not have transformed into a team that would start competing oversees. What a player. It seems unlikely we will get another batsmen that gives highest priority to test cricket in near or far future

 

[SeamUp]

Great career by Dravid, always tried his best and deserved to go on a high.

But all things come to an end and time to step up Cheteshwar Pujara. Thought he had something when he was in South Africa (a bit of fight) unlike many other younger Indian batsman coming into the team from outside the big 4 for the middle-order.

So does this mean VVS wants to go on?

 

[GotSpin]

Fantastic player and person.

 

[Pothas]

Got to be the most universally popular cricketer of the last decade and with very good reason, just a class act in every way and one that we always saw the very best of in England.

 

[NasserFan207]

This Dravid bloke was pretty good.

Good luck in the future fella

 

[honestbharani]

A champion batsman, a definite ATG cricketer who has played a ton of memorable, world class innings in testing conditions, and an absolutely top class bloke. Had the chance to speak to him in person in 2007, and its very difficult to find someone as genuinely nice as him.
Pity his last series was forgettable but still, his final year in test cricket before that disastrous tour was vintage Dravid... great hundred in difficult conditions in the west indies to win us the match, and then 3 stunning hundreds with virtuously no support from his teammates in England, typical of Dravid at his peak in the mid 2000s.

Completely AWTA

 

[chicane]

Dear Rahul Dravid,

I just read that you are likely to announce your retirement shortly. First of all, if indeed you have decided to go, I wish you all the best with your future endeavours, and a relaxed life!

My time watching test cricket co-incided roughly with your debut at Lords, and I vividly remember your rock solid game and unshakable intensity in that game, 15 years ago. It was utterly awesome and inspiring, and that is what comes to my mind when I think of all your heroics since.

The 148 in SA repeatedly pulling the short balls to the boundary in times when Donald and co. tore us apart for fun, the 148 that won us the game at Headingly, when we didn't know how not tot lose abroad. The 180 at Calcutta that played second fiddle to Laxman's 281 and stopped one of the all-time-great teams. The 233 at Adelaide that beat the Australians in their backyard. The twin 50s at Sabina Park on a minefield. The 270 that won us that epic series in Pakistan. The 3 100s in England when the rest of the team fell in tatters. The sight of your textbook defence, the glorious on drives, cover drives and pull shots. The intensity in your eyes, the unrelenting stamina as you sweated and toiled, it has given us fans strength for years and years, hope in the bleakest of times.

Your unfallible character, your class, how you upheld the spirit of the game and the values you believed in, in the face of doubt, criticism, spite and crushing pressure, you have brought pride and honour to our team.

And here we are now, contemplating life after you have walked away. I am filled with emotion, reliving the sheer joy and inspiration you have given us, saddened deeply that the end of a golden era is imminent. You are a champion in every sense of the word. All-time-great sportsman, class human being, inspirational personality. Not just as a cricket fan, you have been one of the most inspirational characters in my life.

CHAMPION.