Dravid

No acceptance speech, no press conference, no practice camp and no team strategy planning sessions, at least nothing more than a teleconference. Thus begins Rahul Dravid’s captaincy, a transfer of power in suspended animation.

Nobody deserves the Indian Captaincy more than Rahul Dravid. His performance in Adelaide, Australia ’03-’04, alone earned him the right to lead. But, what he has slowly discovered is that being deserving and earning the right does not mean that the captaincy will be handed to him. Sourav Ganguly, with a back to the wall century in the Duleep Trophy, reminded him that he is not going without a fight, and people asking Ganguly to relinquish captaincy should step down from their high horses.

It is a battle that is not won easily; factors beyond Dravid’s control are influencing the result. The Board, the selectors, Greg Chappell, all have their own ideas, and in the end Dravid will be one who is responsible. Mere willingness to lead is not going to pave the way to success; a burning ambition to be a leader is what is required. The tri-series in Sri Lanka was a tough initiation and it should have helped him in preparing for the job. The selectors have dealt him 12 cards ( 7 against Sri Lanka and 5 against South Africa) and he has to conjure a winning hand from it. Unfortunately, his quota of beginners luck is already over, but 12 is definitely better than 7.