‘Rahul Dravid Won On The Principles Of Cricket And Principles Of Life’, Matthew Hayden Heaps Praise On Indian Legend

New Delhi: The legendary Australian opener Matthew Hayden went in high praise for India’s Rahul Dravid: Whatever came on his way, he faced it with graciousness and dignity. In most cases recognized as an exceptional guy among cricketers, Dravid became a kind of very few who never lost their cool on the sector. He became eminently also called ‘Mr. Cool’ in Indian cricket when he played.

This veteran batter used to be a pillar of strength each time India found themselves in troubled waters, and one such inning came against Australia back in 2001 at Eden Gardens. In that historic Test, it became Dravid and VVS Laxman who stitched up an exceptional partnership of 376 runs that became a ought to have for India’s miraculous comeback victory. Laxman played an exciting innings of 281 runs, which again became essentially probably the most effective individual score in Tests for an Indian till then. Dravid supported nicely with a masterly a hundred and eighty, underlining his brilliance.

Recently, former India head coach Rahul Dravid became given the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ on the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards. At some point of this context, the event had invited Matthew Hayden to share his views and tributes in regards to the previous Indian captain.

Hayden reminisced about Dravid’s legendary partnership with VVS Laxman at Eden Gardens, highlighting how their unparalleled innings disrupted Michael Slater and Australia’s strategies entirely.

“Sadly, from an Australian cricket standpoint, it became the incredible partnership that he had up at Eden Gardens. There became nothing more sacred but that partnership with VVS Laxman. We walked onto the bus that day up in Kolkata and there became a fresh box of Cuban cigars and Michael Slater said we’ll be smoking these on the end of the day and we’ll have retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” Hayden said about Dravid during Ceat Cricket Rating Awards.

The fifty two-year-old also praised Dravid’s character, noting that his actions were always marked by a sturdy sense of fairness in a game where the temptation to win at any cost is commonly present.

“Well, you had something to claim about that batting all day with VVS Laxman in a unparalleled partnership. Obviously, the one in Adelaide to boot became just something else. Below pressure, Australia put everything on the road against Rahul and did it with great grace, great composure, and always an exceptional sense of fairness. In a game, that may perhaps well tempt you to win at all costs Rahul Dravid won on the foundations of cricket and the foundations of life,” he concluded.

Recently, Dravid became named head coach of the Rajasthan Royals within the Indian Premier League, barely weeks since he resigned as national coach following the victory within the T20 World Cup. It'll be the Fifty one-year-old’s 2nd stint with the Royals, where he served out his playing career as captain earlier than transitioning to a mentor role in 2014.

Dravid guided the Indian team, below the leadership of Rohit Sharma, to their first global title in eleven years by securing victory over South Africa within the T20 World Cup final in Barbados this June.