Rahul Dravid who is is fondly called ‘The Wall’ of the Indian cricket team, is one of the finest batsmen to have ever played for India. He made his debut for team India in 1996 against England at Lords and then went on to become a legend of this game. He was known for his solid technique and for his defensive ability that used to terrify even the deadliest bowling attacks around the world.
Rahul Dravid has been a player of more than what his stats speak about him. With his sound knowledge of the game, concentration, and unmatched skills, he earned the title of ‘Mr. Dependable and took the Indian cricket to new heights.
Recently, the former chairman of the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) MSK Prasad, in an interview with Sportskeeda, recalled the time when Rahul Dravid cleared his exams and got himself an MBA degree after he was dropped from India’s ODI squad towards the end of the last century.
MSK Prasad revealed how the former skipper, Rahul Dravid turned things around for himself by not clearing all exams but he also became the leading run-getter at the World Cup 1999. He said:
“He was doing MBA and because of his international cricket, he was not getting that particular time to finish off his other papers. So, in between, he had six months of break from Indian cricket [because] he was dropped from the ODI side. So, he came back [and] he finished all his 13 papers during that time,”
When he was asked about Rahul Dravid’s work ethic and determination, MSK Prasad said that he used shared an apartment with Rahul Dravid and what stood out was his hard work. He revealed:
“Apart from studying I know how everyday in the morning how much he used to work hard because we were also in the same flat. How he used to work hard…I can feel the pain in him. So he showed all his anger [on his exams]. He eventually completed MBA with 75 or 80 percent and eventually he found a place in the Indian team again and he went on to become the batsman of the World Cup,”
Though team India couldn’t succeed beyond the super sixes stage at the World Cup 1999, Rahul Dravid emerged out as the leading run-getter in the team. During the tournament, Dravid scored 461 runs at an average of 65.85, which included two hundred and three fifties.
What makes his innings more impressive is the fact that he gave such stunning performances while acing his MBA exams, just months after he was omitted from the Indian squad.
Meanwhile, even after retiring from the international cricket, Rahul Dravid has been working as a mentor and coach for the U-19 cricket team and has been making the base strong for team India
