Dravid's ODI retirement probably shows he's not willing to be kicked around
Dravid'su00a0ODI retirement probably shows he's not willing to be kicked around
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The manner in which Rahul Dravid is given tasks to perform for the beleaguered Indian team, he could well be the recipient of the C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award at the next BCCI annual awards.
When India were left with no opening partner for Abhinav Mukund, in the last Test at Nottingham, Dravid was asked to open the innings and responded to the challenge by scoring his second century of the series.
Rahul Dravid celebrates his century at Lord's. PIC/AFP
When the Indian selectors sat down on Saturday to pick the limited overs squad for the series against England, their list of players included a certain Rahul Dravid who last played an ODI on September 30, 2009.
The selectors in consultation with Dhoni felt India needed Dravid for the form he has displayed in the Test series. It is unbelievable that the 2011 World Cup-winning team requires a veteran who last figured in a World Cup four years ago. And to expect Dravid adapt to the one-day form of the game which he hasn't played for two years is a bit too much.
Dravid enjoys enough seniority to tell the selectors he is not prepared to play one-day cricket again. But his retirement from one-day cricket on the very day of his ODI recall probably shows that Dravid is not willing to be kicked around anymore.
It is highly improbable that the selectors checked with Dravid before picking him. Sure, it is not the norm to check if players are willing to be recalled, but this involved a former captain and a great servant of Indian cricket.
When Colin Cowdrey was recalled at the age of 42 to face Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson in the 1974-75 Ashes in Australia, the England captain Mike Denness called to check whether he would join the squad. The selectors just didn't send him a telegram to fly out to Perth. By the way, Cowdrey told Denness, "I would love to come."
Dravid has done all the hard yards for Indian cricket. When skipper Sourav Ganguly and coach John Wright wanted him to keep wicket in 2002, a move which worked wonders in the 2003 World Cup, Dravid took up the challenge and did the job well.
He'll not disgrace himself in the one-day series too but he can't be taken for granted.
Doubtless, he is Indian cricket's Atlas.
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