Arguably the most handsome cricketer of his times Dravid's success was inevitable. Dravid's international career started clean shaven against Sourav Ganguly sporting a thin (brush Zero sized) mustache, Javagal Srinath, Anil kumble and Azaharuddin sporting the telephone receiver shaped mustache after India's disastrous 96 world cup. Tendulkar was yet to get facial hair, Jadeja was out and Prasad scarcely mattered. Amidst hackled indian dressing room Dravid with his boy next door persona and deep rooted middle class mentality made him hero. How? Let me explain, In the 90's most of the team staged a peaceful protest at tendulkar's dismissal by not performing themselves but the non-congress batsmen anointed by Rajnikant throughout his young days stood defiant and slogged through the match, even if it meant loosing Dravid stood there. The Wall.
Years later historians will dispute dravid's real age. For he played cricket like they played two decades earlier oh his time. Feet Planted in, absolutely no urgency to score, tire the pace baller till he is forced to spin made his innings long, real long. Usually as indians switched channels at tendulkars dismissal and at the slightest ray of optimism tuned in to check who was the man of the match, Surprise! Surprise! Dravid was still batting. 200 balls no fours, no sixes and 20 not out.
By the way the tittle 'the wall' had nothing to do with hitting the ball, was it was simply the undying attitude "If I loose this government job? I will be selling Jam with daddy!" that made him stand through Allan Donald, Wasim Akram, Chutney Ambrose, Darren Gough and the likes. Dravid's career can actually be categorized into three phases
1. When he dint hit sixes
2. When he started hitting sixes (all of which had to be approved by the third umpire simply because they werent comprehensive enough)
3. When he hit it in the stands
Unfazed by match fixing, rarely criticized for performance, thrown out once and fought back in to stay. SALUTE
