Matthew Hayden’s heartfelt adulation for Indian legend
Raul Dravid’s character was praised by Matthew Hayden, who remarked that despite the game’s tendency to encourage anyone to win at all means, Dravid always acted fairly.
Australia’s legendary batsman Matthew Hayden held out the highest regard for India’s batting maestro Rahul Dravid, praising him for facing each obstacle in his career with poise and grace. Without a doubt, one of the nice guys in the cricket world is Dravid. Known for his cool demeanor on the cricket field throughout his playing career, he was dubbed the “Mr Cool” of Indian cricket.One such iconic knock came against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001. The experienced batter stood up like a wall on many an occasion to save the Indian side from dire circumstances. An important component of India’s historic comeback triumph at Eden Gardens was the 376-run partnership between Dravid and VVS Laxman. Dravid displayed his class with a fine knock of 180 runs during that historic Test match in 2001, while Laxman produced a wonderful innings of 281 runs, which at the time was the best individual total by an Indian in Test cricket.The ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ was given to former India head coach Dravid at the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards. During the occasion, Matthew Hayden was invited to speak briefly on behalf of the former captain of India.
Hayden remembered how Dravid and Laxman had destroyed Michael Slater and Australia’s hopes during their legendary partnership at Eden Gardens.
“Unfortunately, from the perspective of Australian cricket, it was the amazing collaboration that he had at Eden Gardens. Nothing was more revered than that alliance with VVS Laxman. When Michael Slater joked, “We’ll be smoking these at the end of the day and we’ll have retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” Hayden mentioned Dravid at the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards. “We walked onto the bus that day up in Kolkata.”In addition, the 52-year-old praised Dravid’s moral integrity and claimed that, in a game when anyone could be tempted to win at all costs, he always acted fairly.”Well, you spoke up about that incredible partnership that VVS Laxman and I had while batting all day. Of course, the one in Adelaide was also something quite different. Under duress, Australia risked everything to defeat Rahul, and they did it with elegance, poise, and a constant sense of justice. Rahul Dravid prevailed in a match that could entice you to win at any costs by adhering to both life’s and cricket’s core values, he said.Recently, Dravid was named head coach of the Indian Premier League team Rajasthan Royals, weeks after he quit as national coach following the T20 World Cup triumph.
It will be 51-year-old Dravid’s second stint with the Royals, where he was captain before moving to a mentor role in 2014.When India defeated South Africa in the June T20 World Cup final in Barbados, Dravid guided the squad, captained by Rohit Sharma, to its first international championship in eleven years.
