My initial reaction when I read above Dravid’s resignation from the Indian captaincy was one of deep disappointment. I also couldn’t help thinking that he was “running away from responsibility” as Bishen Bedi put it. Here was India’s top and most reliable batsman with a mixed record as captain throwing in the towel just when it looked like was coming into his own, emerging from the shadow of Greg Chappell, with an impressive tour of England.
As I thought about it some more I realized that this was first time since Sunil Gavaskar that a top Indian cricketer actually went out when on top rather than being booted out. It clearly takes a lot of character to walk away from a highly visible and powerful (and not to mention commercially profitable) role like the Indian captaincy. Hats off to one of India’s top sportsmen. One hopes that Dravid continues this approach when he decides to hang up his boots some time in the future. His decision will eventually pave the way for the influx of new blood into the team. His stint as captain might not have been the best but he deserves credit and appreciation for passing the baton to a younger generation of players.
Pakora Korner 