Jamaica, June 20: Rahul Dravid celebrates 15 years of playing international cricket as he makes his 151st Test appearance against West Indies here in the first Test at Sabina Park.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the match at Sabina Park, ‘The Wall’ reflects on his journey in international cricket.

Excerpts from the media interaction:

On Test cricket

Grounds are not fully packed nowadays for Test cricket, but hopefully there will be a good atmosphere and a good vibe around the ground [Sabina Park].

On West Indies

I think in conditions that suit them, their attacks [are] going to be quite a handful. It’s going to be a good Test. A good test for all of us - not only the younger players, I think for everybody in the side. It looks like this wicket’s going to be a good test and, hopefully, we have also got the bowling that can knock them over as well. If they put a track that suits fast-bowling, then I believe we have got quick guys that can make a difference as well.

On the impact of Test cricket on the young cricketers in the team

I think it is a necessary evil but tough on the young kids, there is no doubt about it. Like I said, when I came here the first time we were fantastic, we played a practice game. [On] this ground [we] played a Test match then went to a different venue. There was so much of learning. [When I] went to England on my first trip, played six to seven practice games, that was where the learning was done. They interacted with you, the Azharuddins, the Tendulkars and the Manjrekars and you sat down with them in a less stressful environment then Test cricket is. Test cricket is stressful for everyone, [whether] you are a senior or a junior. But in a side game, in a practice game sometimes everything is so relaxed it’s a good opportunity to interact with some of these guys, watch how they go about things. Talk to them a lot more. Those [things] unfortunately, because of the nature of the cricket today, the amount of cricket being played that’s just become a necessary evil. It’s tough on the young kids, especially some of the young guys who sometimes don’t play a single game and then they [are] pushed into a final Test match in the series.

On how he looks back on the game

[It’s] Hard. When I am still playing it’s hard to look back upon these things. To say that I am still proud , really proud of this, because you are still playing, you are still involved, you still want to do well. But it’s been an eventful journey. I must say that enjoyed it. Like I said, it’s been great for me to visit places like this. Sabina Park is something you here on a radio, when you are growing up as a kid and dad’s putting on the radio and hear [Sunil] Gavaskar score a hundred and West Indies and [their] fearsome fast bowlers, hearing about these places as young kids and dreaming about playing here. [Then] come out and play four games here . Definitely I know that when I sit back and I think, I will be quite happy about [it].

On the pressure to score runs and do well

There is some amount of pressure to score runs irrespective of who you are, you want to do well, you want to make a contribution. There is certain amount of pressure. You know that there is a lot that you have accomplished. You know that there is a lot that you have already done, [which] probably can’t be taken away from you. So I guess, there is a certain sense of relaxed from that point of view but when I go into a game I still feel nervous irrespective of whatever the Test match is. I still feel the pressure. That never changes whether I have played my first game or my 151st game. There are still nerves; there are still butterflies in the stomach, that never really changes in your life.