Dear Rahul Dravid

       When I was little, like most of Indian houses, Cricket was a big thing at my place. My father, mother, uncles, aunts, siblings, cousins, neighbors - all would gather to have a good time watching team India play. They were also the times when Cricket was played in seasons. When Sachin Tendulkar walked out of dressing room at the fall of a wicket, everyone clapped happily and believed he would make a century. At the fall of his wicket, you would walk out and everyone went about doing their normal chores like 'it was their break'. My mother would return to kitchen, father would pick up a newspaper and asked his daughters to mind their business. The infamous you were popular for 'wasting' the balls and playing like a documentary-movie; slowly. I swear I can expand that 'slowly' with many Ys. You were too slow for our hearts to play alongside. I personally felt bad when Shoaib Akhtar would run a long way just to ball you and you would mercilessly just lift the bat frustrating him.

     But, you were YOU. A player who had pure love for the sport, the best player a team could ask for, a long lasting partner on and off field, a classic captain, an extra help with the gloves and a phenomenal human being. Playing under the shadows of other famous names in the team, you kept your regard and did what had to be done for the team. You have captured souls, not just hearts, of everyone who saw through you and what a great example you are! An epitome of hard-work, humility and simplicity, you have shown what it's like to truly love your profession and serve it in whichever way you can, as long as you can.

Happy Birthday,
Prerana