Rahul Dravid - What would you do? Is he still one of India's 6 best batsman?

[0RI0N]

This is dire tbh......by Dravid (or even Indian batting standards)

Hypothetically,
had he retired after the WI 2006 with 9049 runs at 58.75 he would have gone down as possibly India's greatest batsman.
Unfortunately he has been shocking these last few yrs.

The fire is not there anymore.
The hunger, the fight has left him

 

[smash84]

Not anymore. My mother gave them to the raddiwala when we shifted house. Thankfully, I had already read most of them many times by then.

lol @ gave them to the raddiwala

Hypothetically,
had he retired after the WI 2006 with 9049 runs at 58.75 he would have gone down as possibly India's greatest batsman.
Unfortunately he has been shocking these last few yrs.

The fire is not there anymore.
The hunger, the fight has left him

Or so it seems

 

[Furball]

W. Indies tracks have been so flat, slow and boring for so long, it's ridiculous. Far worse than anywhere on the subcontinent.

Yeah, this. The pitches England had to endure in 2009 were a disgrace to Test cricket. They make the deadest subcontinental tracks look like Headingley greentops.

 

[Hit Wicket]

Agree with the line of thought that the transition needs to be phased out. Dravid is still playing okay and we haven't been able to find a replacement for Ganguly. If we had a stable, confident number 6 by now, I would have no hesitation in replacing Dravid. However, the fact is we don't after 2 years of trying 3 candidates.

As far as I see, there really is no need to rush things. If Pujara does become a long term option, and I would bet on his doing so, India can replace Dravid at the end of the next season. India has tours of WI, England, and Australia coming up and I would certainly be more comfortable having him there instead of two new comers. Tendulkar and Laxman still have whiles to go, so their phasing out can begin next year. It's always tempting to get into the mode of mass changes facing a retiring lot, but in this case the retiring lot is performing not just well, but as good as anyone in the world.

There is no need to panic and write obituaries if Pujara comes through over the next year.

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, this. The pitches England had to endure in 2009 were a disgrace to Test cricket. They make the deadest subcontinental tracks look like Headingley greentops.

Still somehow managed to lose though.

 

[TumTum]

Shouldn't really be laughing though

 

[vcs]

It was funny TBF.

 

[Spark]

Amazing to think that it was that recently that England were absolutely horrible.

 

[Jono]

Still somehow managed to lose though.

Haha. Was it you that lost a ton of money on it?

Someone did, can't remember who.

 

[GotSpin]

Amazing to think that it was that recently that England were absolutely horrible.

I still hold hope.

 

[Prince EWS]

Haha. Was it you that lost a ton of money on it?

Someone did, can't remember who.

Haha yeah he did. I did too but not as much as him.

 

[0RI0N]

Extravagantly sound | Cricket News | Cricinfo Magazine | ESPN Cricinfo

Dated August 1 2006 when Dravid's average was as high as Mt.Everest 58.75.

 

[Xuhaib]

Amazing to think that it was that recently that England were absolutely horrible.

tbf they just had one bad session bossed the series from that point but the flat tracks did not allow them enough time to comeback, was also the series where Anderson finally came of age for the first time he did not look cannon fodder under non swinging conditions.

 

[Cevno]

Extravagantly sound | Cricket News | Cricinfo Magazine | ESPN Cricinfo

Dated August 1 2006 when Dravid's average was as high as Mt.Everest 58.75.

He was phenomenal in the period before that . Probably the best in the world for that period.

It is really sad to see him struggle on in the last few years though.

I am for the first time starting to think whether he can turn it around now and leaning towards the thought that him calling it a day will be best for all.

 

[vcs]

Yeah I wanted Dravid to still be in the team for NZ and SA to see how he went.

I saw enough to think that:

a) it was the right decision to take him to South Africa
b) it is the right time to give Dravid a nudge, and get Badrinath or Kohli into the test team.

This question comes up again. Hasn't really been answered decisively in any of the last few series.

 

[Howe_zat]

Think you might need him in England. If it was a choice between, say, him and Badrinath I'd be tempted, but given the spare batsman in your squad will likely be Raina I'd be very wary about dropping him now.

 

[TT Boy]

If selected he will probably beat up on the hapless West Indians but Dravid looked pretty much finished in South Africa. Just went fishing for 3 tests and the last time he toured England he was poor. Played an unforgettably bad innings at the Oval as India were looking for quick runs and an early declaration.

 

[centurymaker]

He should be moved to no.5/6

 

[blahblahblah]

might give one final shot in england

 

[salman85]

The England series has to be his final hurrah IMO.Give him the chance to shine,if he does,he can play on.If he doesn't,bring in Kohli.

I'd be dissapointed if he has a poor tour of England TBH.Sad to see him fade away at the place he first rised.Also,the thought of not seeing a textbook player like Dravid in International Cricket in the future is a rather depressing thought.His type have becomer rarer by the year,and i daresay,will become extinct in the future.