History and hi-tech on Dravid’s horizon

A good old Neville Cardus penning provides succour after a day’s play for Rahul Dravid, and modern personalised technique analysis software helps dissect his game

MUMBAI: That he has taken part in both of the only two 300-plus partnerships in one-day cricket and notched up five double hundreds in Tests speaks volumes about Rahul Dravid’s hunger for runs.

Probably the only thing that matches up to his interest in hitting big scores is an insatiable craving for reading.

When the former India skipper came out to bat at No.3 against Mumbai, there was palpable anticipation of him making a big score.

Barrington Roland, the Karnataka opener, fell almost instantly to Ajit Agarkar, who bowled an impeccable line and length. It was 0 for 1 and the red cherry was just four balls old when Dravid arrived at the crease.

Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of selectors, was in attendance to watch Dravid ‘regain form and fitness’.

On the eve of the game Dravid did shadow practising, and indulged in some visualisation on the wicket, between the two batting session he had in the nets, and it showed in the correctness of his technique on Saturday.

In the fifth over Agarkar appealed for a leg-before decision. That was the closest Dravid got to danger until off-spinner Ramesh Powar’s flighted ball dipped, bounced and spun to kiss Dravid’s willow, after which Amol Muzumdar took a smart catch at backward short-leg.

On a wicket that is expected to transform into a healthy turner, Dravid will have another opportunity in the middle.

Before that, if he wants any vital details of his own game, he can turn to the personalised technique analysis software the Karnataka camp have.

Vijay Bharadwaj, the Karnataka coach, said that the video analysis software can calculate how many runs Dravid has scored in the ‘V’ off Powar’s off spin or in which area he is most comfortable scoring.

Karnataka is using this software for the first time this season, but half a dozen associations and teams in England have procured the video analysis system, while South African teams have also shown interest.

To keep his mind off the game, Dravid has the company of his wife Vijeta and son Sammit, who were at the ground for a while. He is always happy to turn to a book otherwise.

Dravid is eagerly waiting to begin reading Neville Cardus’s Cricket All The Year, a rare book first published in 1952. A moth-eaten and tattered copy, part of match referee Raju Mukherjee’s collection, has been given to the former skipper.

Dravid has the reputation of being a keen student of cricket history, and has written the foreword for former Aussie skipper Steve Waugh’s autobiography Out of my Comfort Zone.

Getting back to the action, Dravid made 40 runs in total, all of them in a manner that would have received Cardus’s nod.

More than the statistics of his 137 minute outing in the middle, it was the determined manner in which Dravid stylishly made his runs that was impressive.

His first runs came from a push to the covers off the bowling of Agarkar.

After not being allowed to spend too much time in the middle during the one-day series against Australia, Dravid wasn’t going to rush into things at the Wankhede.

At the other end of the wicket, Powar’s off-spin shaped up to provide a good challenge.

 The wicket was not a typical Wankhede track and was slow. Powar, who isn’t scared to flight the ball, took full advantage once he was introduced in the 17th over.

Dravid had driven medium-pacer Rajesh Verma through the covers for his first boundary off the 36th ball he faced. After taking some time to watch Powar carefully, Dravid decided to push the pedal a wee bit.

First he drove Powar through mid-off to the boundary and in the same over stepped back and forcefully square-cut for a boundary.

Of Karnataka’s first 50, Dravid’s contribution was 30. The wicket wasn’t the easiest to bat on. Dravid looked set for a big score.