Rahul Dravid, one of the greatest ambassadors of Indian cricket, has revealed a never-heard-before story about the early days of his career. Known as “The Wall”, Dravid admitted that while fans showered him with respect, his true motivation at the start was to earn the admiration of stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman.
Learning from Legends
Speaking on the Haal Chaal Aur Sawaal Podcast with Ashish Kaushik, Dravid recalled the invaluable lessons he gained from sharing the dressing room with India’s biggest icons.
“I don’t think I was copying them, but I was certainly learning from them. Watching Sachin, Laxman, Ganguly, Sehwag, and later Gautam Gambhir—how they prepared, how they played certain shots, and how they handled situations—helped me improve my own game,” Dravid said.
Respect Over Recognition
For Dravid, the real challenge was proving he belonged among cricket’s greats.
“You want to earn Tendulkar, Laxman, and Ganguly’s respect. You want them to say, ‘Okay, this guy can also play. He deserves to be here.’ That comes only with performance—scoring runs in tough situations, showing you can stand up for the team,” he explained.
Mutual Growth
Dravid, who later went on to coach India to their T20 World Cup 2024 victory, emphasized that his journey wasn’t just about learning—it was also about contributing.
“There’s no doubt they made me a better player, helped me achieve my potential. And I’d like to think I did a little bit of that for them as well.”
Legacy Beyond Numbers
Dravid’s career stands tall with over 24,000 international runs, countless match-saving innings, and an unparalleled reputation for discipline and humility. But for him, the respect of his teammates—Tendulkar, Ganguly, Laxman, and others—was the foundation of everything he achieved.
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