For too long, Dravid had been denied his due as one of the modern greats. Often shadowed by someone else’s more watchable strokeplay and unfairly tagged with a label of slow, attritional batting, Dravid remained a bridesmaid for a good part of his career. In the last few years though, as the likes of Tendulkar and Ganguly have waned, Indian cricket has begun to rely upon and look up to Dravid far more. And time after time, Dravid has delivered in various roles, with both his grit and strokeplay often coming to the fore for team and country.  

Perhaps his biggest asset is his incredible strength of mind, something that’s allowed him to adapt to so many different tasks with such success. In the one day game, Dravid’s roles have ranged from wicketkeeping to batting down the order in a Bevanesque finishing role, and recently, even anchoring the innings from the top - all tasks he’s performed with aplomb. In tests, he’s shown a willingness to try different positions; recently relinquishing his favourite number 3 position to either open or come in at 4, and has continued to score runs consistently.  

It bears testament to just how much of a team man Dravid is. Landmarks, averages and run aggregates have mattered little to him in the past; only success has. At Rawalpindi in 2004, he memorably threw his wicket away trying to reverse sweep Imran Farhat despite having a triple century in sight. In numerous other situations, he’s altered his gameplay, expanding his repertoire of strokes to include delicate paddle sweeps and lofted drives that he once seemed incapable of, all to fit the side’s needs in various situations. And the results are there for all to see - when Dravid performs, the team invariably does well. So far this decade, the numbers are staggering: Dravid averages over 93 in tests and 56 in ODIs where India have won.  

What’s even more impressive are his performances overseas; traditionally a weakness for most Indian batsmen. 10 of Dravid’s 17 test tons this decade have come abroad, with runs in Australia, West Indies, England and Pakistan providing further proof of his exceptional abilities in all conditions. On a tour of New Zealand blighted by bad weather and the resulting greentops that followed, Dravid was one of the few Indian batsmen to return with head held high. None can label him a bully of weak attacks or a batsman who cashes in on flat, easy wickets. The cliché "Mr. Reliable" has been thrown about a good deal by most writers and commentators on the game, but few can blame them, for with Dravid, the term holds true.  

Most recently, he’s taken on the Indian captaincy - so often a crown of thorns - with a good deal of success. Despite indifferent test performances in Pakistan and at home against England, the one day side under him has evolved into one of the world’s most consistent and professional units, bar an odd hiccup in the West Indies. Even in tests, there has been much to smile about with a comprehensive series win against Sri Lanka several months ago and just a short while ago, the breaking of a 35 year long drought in the West Indies. Dravid’s leadership, both on the field and with the bat, has been nothing less than admirable. Two incidents at Sabina Park last week sum it up aptly. 

When Brian Lara received a delivery from Harbhajan Singh that turned and bounced sharply on the third day, he played it with skill - then turned to the groundsman and applauded him sarcastically to indicate his displeasure at the surface, at the same time sending out a negative message to his team. He fell soon after, and wickets tumbled. The contrast with his Indian counterpart couldn’t have been more stark. Dravid had soldiered on through bouncing and seaming deliveries against the pace battery of Jerome Taylor, Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore, crafting two half centuries before being bowled by a delivery that kept scuttled along the pitch. Other batsmen in such positions might have blamed the pitch, perhaps squatting or providing some other overreaction to absolve themselves of blame. Dravid merely tucked his bat under his arm and turned to the pavilion, passing on a few encouraging words to the man at the other end, and the tailender walking in. The new pair battled on a few overs longer, adding on vital runs and stretching the Indian lead even further.  

It showed just what Rahul Dravid brings to the team; a solidity and reassuring presence with the bat, and a calm level-headedness in all situations that’s made him one of the most heavily relied-upon players in Indian cricket. At 33, he’s still got a good deal of cricket left in him, and one can only wonder at what heights he might scale in the next few years.