The Dilemna of Dravid : The Journey from Melbourne to Nagpur

[Fontaine]

He captained brilliantly in australia. We would have won the series if not for cheating. So not sure why people keep saying is poor captain?

He was a very calming influence with all the disruption going around. But his tactics were still defensive, going with only two fast bowlers in the first two tests. Both of which we lost when it was abundantly clear that we needed more fast bowlers. The final two matches India never looked like losing because we relied on our fast bowlers and picked three of them because it would have been completely foolish to go with two front line spinners. But most of all Kumble showed in that series that he has no idea, no clue about which players are best suited to what conditions and which players are in form and who are not, like Sehwag being ommitted as well as Sharma until injury to Zaheer forced his selection.

[Fontaine]

Look at the Dravid situation this way: None of our front 7 batsmen look to be out of form, out of runs, or even under threat by the Australian bowlers apart from Dravid. Dravid comes in at number 3 and time and time again swings the momentum right back to Australia nullifying the great starts our openers give us. Dravid is the ONLY weak link in a batting order that is performing at an extremely high level. Apart from his fighting 50 that he scratched out in the first innings at Bangalore he's given up his wicket for 6, 39, 11, and again 11 runs. That's the number 3 position where argueably you send out your best batsmen because not only do they have to negotiate the new ball if you lose an early wicket but build an innings and make sure you don't lose wickets in quick succession. But Dravid has failed to do this time and time again. Bring in Badrinath who's an excellent fielder at point, with sound technique and grafts hard for his runs, or depending on the pitch conditions go with the extra bowler with the hope that our tail (Zaheer/Bhajji) continue to contribute runs.

[Gambit]

Good post Hari. Now that his good friend Kumble has gone, Dravid will really be feeling the heat. Nagpur or bust for him it seems. I did a stat analysis on the big 4 a few months ago - http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=99673

[King Tendulkar]

Superb analysis gambit.

[bharat297]

I would give him till the end of the England series. We need some seniors there during the England series in that middle order to provide the experience. The other possibility is moving Dravid down to no.5 and playing VVS at no.3. If Dravid gets dropped, that is likely to be VVS's position anyway so it makes sense to move him up there now.

[Dooks]

Good write up Hari. I am a BIG BIG fan of Dravid (in fact he is my favourite of the flab 5) but even I have been advocating his 'retirement' for a long time. I also get the feeling (& in your case strong rumours) that RD will call it a day in Nagpur (& spoil Ganguly's day in the process). I also think that the committee will try to retain Dravid on the basis that we must not make too many changes (since Ganguly & Kumble) have gone already & will give him until the end of England series. The only problem comes where two seniors are replaced with say (Badri/one another (not Yuseless)) & they don't perform well. Then everybody will say that why didn't you retain Dravid, blah blah. Conclusion: Dravid needs to go at the end of this series (if not), the selection committe must be strong enough to get rid of him. Replace with two youngsters & we see a new team under a new captain. I have faith in the youngsters as they can't do worse than Dravid.

[Guest HariSampath]

Yes Gambo, I remember that weak link writeup very well, great . But then who is ever going to listen to hard facts; you know that stuff about ostriches , heads and ground ? Its more than just Dravid's stats, I had attempted to show in my article that how badly India has been affected and how biased have been those supporting Dravid. We hear the same tired old excuses again and again, as if Dravid of today is the salvation of Indian cricket , especially truckloads of nonsense about his technique etc. It is a fact he has the worst technique in the Indian batting order, at the moment. It is also a fact that he is the one getting out repeatedly by chasing deliveries wide, missing the line and bowled etc. And the sheer injustice of selection, by retaining him brazenly for SIX test series , when he has averaged 1 fifty per series , is shocking. It is also a fact he ( for a top order batter, supposed to be one of the best) has played only ONE match impacting innings in 20 tests. It is ridiculous how his apologists grab at odd 30s and clutch at straws in detailing his failures as "poor luck", "not converting a start" etc. Well No one asked him not to convert them. My challenge is still out there: Can anyone show me, in the entire history of test cricket in 100 years, when a top order batter, one of the team's best batting strengths supposedly , has gone through this kind of appalling failure over 2 years, 25 tests and still in the side, especially when at least 3-4 deserving middle order batters have been kept out ? To me, Dravid is a done and dusted story, whether or not he gets runs in Nagpur. He has to go, as much as George Bush has to go, and he WILL go, as surely as George Bush is going.

[King Tendulkar]

He can go after england series. Need to bring new bats in one by one not at same time. England series will give new bat to bed in then pak series to bed another one in. However, don't rule out a big score from the wall in nagpur and a prolific series against england. That will consign all retirement talk to the dustbin.

[Guest HariSampath]

dsr....*sigh*...more of the same...like I said, at least try something new havent you been saying the same thing at the end of every test and every series ? looks like its not happening for you. I once mentioned during IPL that of all the top order batters, Dravid would be the one to be unceremoniously axed, and all hell broke loose on ICF. Well , wait and watch

[King Tendulkar]

Dravid moves out of the top 20 batsman for the 1st time in 11 years

[King Tendulkar]

Just read your whole article. Some very good points. You almost make me feel he should retire after this series. However, I still say ONE more chance:--D

[cochise]

The youngsters in the wings deserve a chance. Dravid has had his day in the sun and now, as his returns are diminishing, should yield. I hope he gets a classical triple ton in Nagpur and retires at the top of his game after it. It will be sad to see him go, but it is even sadder seeing him struggle, as a shadow of his former batting self.

[King Tendulkar]

dada meanwhile looks in sublime touch! can't he stay on till pak seires then retire? Basically swap retirement plans with Dravid:--D

[Guest HariSampath]

Just read your whole article. Some very good points. You almost make me feel he should retire after this series. However' date= I still say ONE more chance:--D

Thats the whole idea :winky: I had emailed the article to some 20-25 people, most of them quite influential with media and Indian cricket and I have already received 6 replies , and guess what most of them say ..." tut tut...not so loudly, but then...go ahead " :giggle:

[cochise]

Hari, The lack of response from the diehards is ominous in itself (or am I tempting fate)...perhaps there is a grudging acceptance of reality that his glory days are behind him?

[King Tendulkar]

Thats the whole idea :winky: I had emailed the article to some 20-25 people' date=' most of them quite influential with media and Indian cricket and I have already received 6 replies , and guess what most of them say ..." tut tut...not so loudly, but then...go ahead " :giggle:[/quote'] WTF you launching a hate campaign against him. Poor dravid whats he ever done to you:(( If you ever do that to sachin I will not be held responsible for my actions:whack:

[Guest HariSampath]

Hari, The lack of response from the diehards is ominous in itself (or am I tempting fate)...perhaps there is a grudging acceptance of reality that his glory days are behind him?

The truth is that diehards too know that not even one word in my article can be refuted with common sense or cricketing logic. In fact Rahul Dravid himself would agree with every word in it. In many ways, I do feel sorry for him, after all he is a top class batsman who had contributed immensely for a decade to Indian cricket. He certainly deserves to go out on a good note; just as Ganguly and others do, but the key is how long do we wait, and more importantly how many more test matches can be "sacrificed" just to get Dravid back to form, so that he can get a 100 and then leave. A small anecdote from 2-3 months back, which a friend told me.Apparently Dravid,when he was in Chennai for the Buchi Babu trophy before the Irani trophy, in August, was approached by the son of a former TamilNadu FC player,the boy was playing U-15 cricket. He asked Rahul " Sir , can you tell me how to best construct a 100", and Rahul after a long pause , smiled and told him " Wait, I am trying to remember"...the entire group burst out in laughter, including Dravid :--D This sums up the humor of the man at his own predicament. In fact he is supposed to have remarked " I would just like to get one test hundred, I know I can do it". So I am convinced that he too is seriously thinking of quitting, and knows that his time is up. I wish he had converted that Bangalore 50 into a 100. But lets wait and see.

[cochise]

Yeah...I really hope he gets one in Nagpur. Everything to like about the man. A true dignified gentleman of the game and mentally as tough as they come.

[Rajan]

Hari: ...My challenge is still out there: Can anyone show me, in the entire history of test cricket in 100 years, when a top order batter, one of the team's best batting strengths supposedly , has gone through this kind of appalling failure over 2 years, 25 tests and still in the side, especially when at least 3-4 deserving middle order batters have been kept out ? Plz check.... 1.filtered:1977-1981, 31 tests,1102 runs, 81 highest, 22.48 average,0 hundreds, 41 catches, 0 wkts 2.filtered 1988-1991 22 1033 98 35.62 0 - - - - 22 0 cricket is a team game, when Ganguly failed Dravid saved us many times. When Laxman was in a bad patch Dravid helped the team.When sachin was going thro a poor form Dravid was God.similarly the Fab 4 have supported each other and Sehwag chipped in when almost every one failed.But when Dravid is in a lean patch, when others are contributing, v still are complaining that he shud retire! give him a break! any way,1 st stats belong to one Mr.Mike Brearley! Now, relax.i just gave u an instance of a team pulling along with probably less contribution in terms of runs by a batsman.i know Mike was playing more as a captain. 2nd one belongs to Gus Logie. ok, he was not the superstar in the superstar team , nevertheless just to show u that cricket is a team game and each one has to play for the other especially when some one is scratching around for runs.As i posted earlier right from Steve Waugh,Mark Taylor there were batsmen who lost it for quite some time. but the team mates and management had faith in the player and prospered. now, hang me if Dravid fails in Nagpur test.thanks.

[Guest HariSampath]

Dude....I said "top order batter" at approximately at the level of Dravid...if you are comparing Dravid with Gus Logie or Mike Brearly...LOL...I rest my case...then we HAVE to drop Dravid instantly....if Dravid sees your post, he will swoon in shock...next you will be comparing him with Courtney walsh :hysterical: