We All Know Rahul Dravid As The Wall, But Ever Wondered How He Got That Name?
It was neither commentators nor fans who gave him the name that would stick.
Rahul Dravid left a legacy few batsmen will be able to leave up to. For 16 years he was the vital cog in India's batting who would salvage the team out of any situation.
The man was solid in defence and truly justified his name Mr Dependable. His calmness at the crease made it seem he was at peace with himself.
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However, there is another name by which the cricketing world knows him - The Wall. Even now after his retirement we all remember fondly the times he displayed his skill with the willow.
But ask yourselves this. Where did the name The Wall come from? Mind you, it was not a fan or a commentator who came up with it.
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So who was it? Well, the answer to that are Nima Namchu and Nitin Berry. They were working ad agency Leo Burnett and the nicknames were part of a Reebok ad campaign.
As far as Nima is concerned, the name came into existence pretty early on.
"We were working for a Reebok campaign, where we were supposed to give each guy a certain character. Rahul was this new kid on the block ¨C virtually in his first Test series. We studied his attitude and style on field and found that even though he was not one of those who hit fours and sixes, he never crumbled under pressure either."
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Well, his first Test series and he already had a name to go by which he maintained for the next decade and a half.
Consistency and the ability to destroy the minds of his opponents is what made Dravid a danger at the crease.
Well, we have to thank the creative team for picking a name which would become synonymous with the great man in the years to come.
Eve now, we remember that perfectly timed square cut or a classy cover drive. Thanks for the memories Rahul Dravid, you certainly made cricket worth watching.
