Rahul Dravid says thanks but no thanks

Rahul Dravid’s bat has been under the spotlight in the current series between England and India.

There were suggestions that the stickers on the sides of his willow could potentially impede the proper detection of the edges by the contentious HotSpot technology and the International Cricket Council could send out instructions for the removal of those logos.

That is only an aside. The main story about the bat is its talking. No Indian bat has been more garrulous in the Test series.

The selectors promptly picked him for the five-match ODI series that follows the Tests but Dravid said thanks but no thanks. The gentleman that he is, Dravid, a veteran of over 10,000 ODI runs, agreed to play the ODIs against England but not after that.

“I am announcing my retirement from ODIs and T20s following the series against England. Thereafter, I will focus only on Test cricket,” Dravid told reporters at a hurriedly-called press conference at the end of the tour game here on Friday. “In short term, it is an excitement for sure. But in the long term, I would like to focus on Test cricket only,” Dravid said.

There clearly was miscommunication between the Board of control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the selection committee and the player. The selectors and BCCI did not know that Dravid is not interested in playing the 50-over format. One selector refused to answer if Dravid was consulted before he was picked and a BCCI official said the announcement has been made.

But Dravid cleared the air saying he was not communicated. “I’ve never discussed ODI cricket with anyone in the last two years. I will play the ODI series against England but that will be it,” a grim-looking Dravid said.

With 262 runs in four innings at an average of 87.33, Dravid has clearly been the batting star of what has been a horrendous Test series for India so far. He has adjusted to the English conditions better than even Sachin Tendulkar. India need his solidity in the middle-order if they are to make match of the five-match ODI series. There was an apprehension in the Krishnamachari Srikkanth-headed selection committee that the ODIs, too, would meander into a one-sided affair if they go for the younger players.

“Only he has batted well in Test series so far. Under the circumstances, he is our best bet,” said a source in the selection committee. Having emerged world champions only four months ago, India have a huge reputation to protect in the ODI series. Dravid, with three centuries in the last five Tests and two in the last two, was the automatic choice although he was not prepared for this.

Dravid has not played an ODI for nearly two years. His last 50-over game was in the Champions Trophy in South Africa in September 2009. Persistent questions over his ODI future would brook a ‘no comments’ reply but no one had an inkling that he was contemplating to quit the 50-over format.

The selector DNA spoke to said the panel left with no choice after Yuvraj Singh was ruled out on fitness grounds.

The committee was also disappointed that the youngsters, who were given an opportunity during the five-match ODI series against the West Indies, failed to capitalise on their chances. Dravid wasn’t an ideal option but a practical choice.

Players like Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwary and S Badrinath were part of the ODI series in the Caribbean. There were six changes to the squad that won the World Cup in April. “We have selected the team on basis of the conditions in England. We have selected the team after a lot of deliberation and I am sure it is a very good side,” Srikkanth told reporters in Chennai.

Squad: MS Dhoni (C & WK), V Sehwag (V-C),
S Tendulkar, G Gambhir, R Dravid, S Raina,
V Kohli, R Sharma, P Patel (WK), A Mishra,
R Ashwin, Z Khan, I Sharma, P Kumar,
M Patel, V Kumar