Mumbai, Mar 10: Modest, committed, determined, focussed, consistent are some of the words that Ajit Wadekar used to describe Rahul Sharad Dravid who announced his retirement from international cricket at a press conference on March 9. The former India captain, who led the nation to glory with triumphs over West Indies and England, spoke with great affection and admiration about ‘The Wall’. Dravid, who helped take India to the No. 1 position in Tests, boasts several career highs, both as a consummate No. 3 batsman and also an excellent catcher in the slips.

In an exclusive interview with bcci.tv, Wadekar fondly spoke about the cricketer who served India humbly for 16 long years.

Excerpts:

On Dravid’s contribution to cricket

When it comes to the highest number of Test matches and highest number of runs in Test matches, after Sachin Tendulkar, I think he is the only one. He holds the world record for catches, more than 200 catches; it is a superb contribution. It can only come from a player of his calibre. There cannot be another creation after Rahul at all. He is called ‘Jammy’ by people who are close to him, people like us, but he is more widely referred to as ‘The Wall.’ But to me he is like, ‘The Great Wall of China’, which cannot be created again and on which the Indian team always leaned on. This Wall is now not going to be there.

On the void that Dravid’s retirement has created

A great void has been created. The longevity [of his career] – he played for 16 years, the highest number of years after Sachin – and the consistency [with which he performed, are commendable]. To get so many runs one has to be very consistent; plus he boasts a perfect technique. Technically, he is absolutely sound. If anybody came close to his technique, I think [it was] Sanjay Manjrekar. And then, of course, the commitment. He was always so committed, you could see that on his face while playing, and he had such determination to get runs for the team. The void that has been created is very difficult to fill up. I think his rise coincided with the beginning of that great era where we had perhaps the best batting line-up in the middle – Sachin , Rahul, VVS Laxman and [Sourav] Ganguly, of course. Two of them have gone now and somewhere, sometime Sachin has to go after a year or so. I think it is difficult to fill this gap because I don’t see [anyone] apart from Virat Kohli [who can replace him]. Kohli needs a lot of experience, lot of consistency and commitment and determination as shown by Rahul Dravid. [...] Virat may come closer to that but it requires a lot of experience and time will tell whether he’s the one. There aren’t that many youngsters I can see coming up to that level and playing for India that long.

On Dravid as role model

Perhaps the finest role model we could talk of and perhaps the best gentleman in the entire cricketing world; and he has played for our country. His modesty comes with the background. His parents, having brought up such an illustrious son, never show off. The same applies to Rahul. He’s always modest, respects the older players, former players, respects age. He is absolutely calm and quiet, never shouts at anybody, and is absolutely focussed on the job. [...] I have seen him do social work and help the down-trodden, missing with them. He is the greatest role model for any youngster to follow.

On Dravid as captain

He was absolutely calm, cool, focussed and would lead from the front; that was his greatness. As a captain I think it is for the youngsters to follow his example because in crisis [situations] he has got runs. That is exactly what is required. When you have given up all hope, there is The Wall standing there who would take you out of that crisis. He showed it [leading] from the front; that was his captaincy. He is perhaps the best catcher in the world too.

On Dravid’s No. 3 batting spot

Since I was also a one-down batsman, I know that’s a position where many a time you are as good as the opening bat, but you are not supposed to play a dual role as opener. You have got to see that you [play with] confidence [after the] first wicket [falls] so that the [bowlers’] aspirations are blunted. You have got to stay there and at the same time you have got to execute strokes and do what’s needed. According to me, he is perhaps the finest one-down batsman that India has produced.

On Dravid being compared to Dilip Vengsarkar

[Vengsarkar too] was overshadowed. Vengsarkar got three centuries in a row at Lord’s and whenever he got a hundred, somebody always scored more. The same thing happened when Rahul got 180-odd runs against Australia and we won the match; at that time, VVS Laxman got 281. Also, at Lancashire or Sheffield, when he got hundred, Sachin got 193 [odd runs]. He has always remained focussed. He was there all the time and forged tremendous partnerships with Sachin and the others.

On Wadekar’s Lifetime Achievement Award coinciding with Dravid’s Cricketer of the Year Award

Rahul wasn’t there to receive the award. He was away on duty; he had gone to Australia early. His parents and I were [remembering] the good old days. [...] Both of them are modesty personified and that has gone down to Rahul as well. After the function some people wanted autographs and Dravid’s father said, ‘I am not a cricketer, my son is a cricketer. But here is the Lifetime Achievement Award-winner’ and then he would guide them to me. [...] That shows his character and the culture [that the family represents].

On being asked to pick a memorable moment with Dravid

Before I became the Chairman of the Selection Committee, way back in ’98, I think, the earlier Selection Committee did not [show] much confidence in Rahul’s one-day [skills] because he was considered to be The Wall. He would stay there at the crease so he [was considered as] good enough for five-day cricket and that was the perception everyone had; not only the selectors, [that is the] earlier selectors, but also the media and everyone. When I became the Chairman, I was watching the match at Gwalior, a Test match, where Rahul came and sat next to me. He said, ‘ Can a cricketer adapt to anything [format]. Can I do it? People don’t seem to think so’. I replied, ‘Why are you bothered about people? If the Selection Committee feels you will be useful for the one-dayers, then I think you should be confident.’ He said, ‘Yes, if you think I can do it then I will do it’. He began to play consistently in the one-dayers as late as 2007 or something. He had confidence that he could adapt to any format. We had a very good discussion and I never had to talk to him about technique. He is superb.