Could there have been anything more gratifying for Sharad Dravid than watching his son make his Test debut at the mecca of cricket?
During his childhood, when Sharad Dravid heard cricket commentary on radio, he had his own imagination of Lord’s. Could there have been anything more gratifying than watching his son make his Test debut at the mecca of cricket?
He maintains, while reliving Rahul Dravid’s career, that his son’s debut at Lord’s in 1996 was his proudest moment as father. “He might have played many great knocks but that was the most memorable moment. Though he missed a century by just five runs, his Lord’s debut was the best thing to have happened…,” he said.
He’s satisfied with what his son has achieved, though he agrees that Rahul could’ve continued for a few more years. “But that’s my personal view,” he said, adding, “but at the end of the day he knows what’s best for him.”
Senior Dravid has reacted positively to Rahul’s decision. He said, “Everyone has to retire one day. But I think Rahul has achieved much more than what we expected. Playing for the country for so long is not an easy job. But he has done his best and I will cherish every moment that my son has spent on the cricket field, making millions of his cricket fans happy,” he said.
On Rahul’s initiation to cricket, he recalled, “Our family is crazy about cricket. My elder brother played with CK Nayudu for the Holkar team and I too have represented the university. When Rahul was young, he’d accompany me to watch cricket matches. That’s how he fell in love with the sport.”
“His biggest assets,” he reminded, “were concentration and commitment. Till today, his commitment has been the same. That’s why he has come so far.”
For the uninitiated, there’s a story to how Dravid derived his nickname Jammy. Sharad Dravid reminisced, “When Rahul would go out to play, we’d be concerned about his food. Since I worked with Kissan, my wife would give him a bottle of jam. I would tell him to eat it with bread. His teammates noticed that the jam bottle was perpetually in his bag. I think it was Javagal Srinath who took the opportunity and started calling him Jammy.”
During the presser on Friday, Dravid mentioned how he wants to enjoy the little joys of life. Dropping his son to school was an experience he was deprived of.
“He has been a good family man,” Sharad Dravid said. “Despite being on tour, he’d time for his family. Recently, when I was hospitalised in Chennai, he flew down from South Africa. People might think that cricketers don’t give much time to their families, but Rahul was successful in balancing both cricket and family.”
He hopes to spend more time with his son now, though he is sure that Rahul will keep himself busy and try giving back something to the game that made him what he is today.
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