On March 9, 2012, Rahul Dravid called a press conference and announced that he was quitting international cricket.
For cricket lovers in India and around the world, an era had come to an end with that one statement. Two of the Big Three were gone.
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Sourav Ganguly left in 2008, Sachin Tendulkar would too in 2013, but Dravid's exit seemed to have a hollow ring to it. Particularly because it was so uneventful.
Dravid had represented India from 1996 to 2012. For 16 years he was the man who anchored the innings in times of trouble. If Sachin was the aggressor then Dravid was the saviour.
His retirement seemed to signal the end of the sheetanchor role. Nowadays you hardly see players willing to graft it out. Dravid for all his elegance, had the ability to bore you to death by staying dogged at the crease.
With over 10,000 runs in both formats, the man was humble and always put self before team.
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When Sourav Ganguly made a magical 183 in the 1999 World Cup, Dravid was content to play second fiddle with 145. We all remember VVS Laxman's epic 281 but Dravid's 180 in the same innings is almost lost in oblivion.
But that's how he always was, preferring to let others into the limelight. After Sachin fell for 98 against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup, it was Dravid's 44 not out that helped the Men in Blue across the finish line.
Even now as the India A and Under-19 coach, the man takes a backseat.?
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It was the way he came into the game and it was the way he left it. Nothing over the top, just a simple walk into the sunset.
For those of us fortunate to watch him play, reliving those knocks on TV is a trip down memory lane.
To the generation that was growing up in the 90s and first decade of the 21st century, we saw him at his best. When he left, we had one less reason to watch the game.
But the show must go on and cricket is doing just that. All we the fans can say is, thank you Rahul Dravid for being Indian cricket's Wall for 16 years. You were the hero we needed and you always took hits for the team.