My Role Model

For over a decade he inspired me. And the motivation came from within me. The moment I think of him, I know I need to fulfil a certain criteria before I can even say his name. And he is none other than “The Wall” of Indian Cricket, the unassuming Rahul Dravid.

Rahul (Dravid) stands for everything I want in my role model. The moment he played his first ball in England, I knew he was here to make a difference and since then, he never let me down. He stood there and he tied me to him. Even now, with criticisms in his way, he just bends his head and does what he knows best, he plays the game. Every person has his strengths and weaknesses and I will not be foolish enough to say that Rahul (Dravid) is an exception to this. But he plays to his strengths and works on his weakness and if there is one cricketer who ever stood up for the side and accounted for every single presence on the field, it is Rahul Dravid. Sachin (Tendulkar), Sourav (Ganguly), Anil (Kumble) are undoubtedly the legends of Indian Cricket, but in his quiet way he made his presence felt, with his perseverance, with his grit and above all, a self-belief. To sustain in the brackets of Sachin Tendulkar, the legend of Cricket, not just Indian Cricket, is not merely an achievement, but a statement that describes him. His innings in Kolkata was overshadowed by another classy act by Laxman, but he broke those shackles with his splendid knock in Adelaide. That innings was essential to the morale of the team and he did just that and he turned the fortunes of the team. Going on to win that game for the team, inspiring them to expect more than what they believe they are capable of, because the limitations to their ability was in their mindset and not in their talent. I do not think it is an understatement when I say that, his innings at Adelaide made a difference to the way world perceives Indian Cricket and the way the Indian Cricket team performed overseas. It brought in a definite change in the way Indian Cricket team perceived itself, if I may say so.

Going down to bat at number three, he stood there, worked around other people, built partnerships, ensured the foundation for the total. Surprisingly, many stripped him apart that he was slow, but then, fours and sixes do not define a scoring chart, at least not just fours and sixes. He built the partnerships, held an end like the captain of a ship caught in a storm, he gave the freedom to the player at the other end, to play with free mind, assuring him that he is still there to steer the boat in the right direction when needed. If there is any cricketer in the team, who can play for a complete day, it is Rahul and Rahul alone. None in the team can match his fitness and none can question his loyalty or commitment to the team. Even if the critics held disdain at his declaration when the master blaster was on 194*, when every other captain in the world would have waited for the team member to attain his personal milestone, I would back him for what he did, despite leading a way to speculation. We Indians are soft at the heart and are driven emotionally, but then, he was given a responsibility of being a captain of a professional side, and he was doing his job and his decisions need not satisfy every one.

Rahul (Dravid), to me is an improbable wall, who stands tall in the withering winds and delivers to the best of his ability. He does not make media statements, he does not let his emotions get the better of him and he does what he believes in doing. He puts his head down and bats and scores the runs in the way he is comfortable in, keeping in mind the necessities of the team as he views the best. He understands his game and he plays to his strengths, and works on his weaknesses. He is a perfectionist, I dare say. I like him for that. He knows what he is doing and does it without too many complications. “When I am tired, I look at the dressing room and I think I need to do it for them.” - Post-match comment from him on his adventures after Kolkata third day play. That alone is sufficient to speak volumes of him.

When I look at him, I know that if at all he claims himself to be a role model, he would expect nothing but relentless pursuit for continuous improvement and consistent effort to exceed self-expectations. He would certainly want his admirers to demand the best from themselves and stand up and vouch that they have done so. That is why I admire him. He leads by example, never taking his success for granted. He bends his head down and his only answer to any professional criticism is his uncanny ability to accept constructive criticism and keep doing what he does best, deliver in the way that counts, every single time, despite the odds. He believes in himself to stand tall and deliver and let everything else slide. When I look at him, I know that I need to stand up for the values he poses if I need to lay a claim that I admire him. If at all, there will be a day, when I would meet him, I would proudly say that I admire him and have the satisfaction of uttering those words. There might be zillions of people who might have said that, but I alone will know, that I have lived for the values he commendably displayed. No matter how many stars India shall produce, Rahul ebbed an impression on me that will last for a lifetime. I might admire many others, but none would match the fierce loyalty I have for him. Rahul Dravid is my “Gita” and I am proud of him and for everything he stands for.