My approach has always been to play with dignity, and uphold the spirit of the game
New Delhi, July 2: “My approach has always been to play with dignity, and uphold the spirit of the game” subtly says Indian Veteran Cricketer Rahul Dravid as he gets nominated for the ICC Wall of Fame. Being the fifth Indian cricketer, the nation roars with proud.
The announcement was made after the former India captain Rahul Dravid was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during a glittering ceremony in Dublin on Sunday. Rightly known as the ‘The Wall’, Rahul Dravid is a national treasure for the Indian cricket team.
He is the fifth Indian to be inducted to the prestigious group that includes cricketing legends such as Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble. Describing it as a great honor and privilege, Dravid, in his acceptance speech, said, "I am thankful to the ICC for giving me this honor. It is a privilege to be among a group of people I have looked up to and I have admired as a young man growing up in the journey as a cricketer. I'd love to be able to thank so many people who have made it possible for me to have a career in the sport and to fulfill my dreams."
"My parents, my family, my two kids, my so many friends, colleagues that I have played with, and played against that enriched my game. My many coaches right from the time I was in school and the coaches I have played for in India have really helped me to develop as a cricketer. I would not be here if not for support and love that they have given me and I'm truly grateful and thankful for it," he added.
The 45-year-old further said he was unable to personally receive the honour due to his coaching commitments with the India A team. Dravid signed off by saying, "It is a privilege that I will hold very close to my heart."
The International Cricket Council (ICC) shared an image of the honour on its Twitter handle. "The Wall is in The Hall! Here's his #ICCHallOfFame cap," the ICC tweeted. Dravid is known for his outstanding defence technique in cricket. He is regarded as one of India's greatest-ever Test batsmen and among the all-time greats at No.3 in Test cricket.
His 13,288-run feat places him at No.4 on the list of most prolific run-scorers in Test cricket, and he played key roles in some of India's greatest Test wins in the 2000s, most memorably in Adelaide in 2003 when he scored 233 and 72 not out.
In one-day internationals, Dravid, also known as "The Wall" scored has 10,889 runs with 12 centuries. In 2004, he was named as the ICC Cricketer of the Year as well as the ICC Test Player of the Year.