Who's next? - Inbox at Cricinfo

Well, it can, as it is proven here. And so who's next to quit? Rather, who next for the media to target? Well, this is not even a 1 dollar question and the answer is obvious. 'The Wall' cracking brick by brick, 'The Wall' crumbling, feeling the pinch, the only one of Fab 4 who has not fired, and so on. A lot is written about him, a lot is being discussed about him, and I am pretty sure a LOT is going through his mind. Otherwise, you don't see him miss a straight ball and get castled (2nd innings, Delhi).

As experts say, it is tough to score when you're not in a relaxed frame of mind. So, will he be back in runs in a new stadium, a new pitch, and significantly in his wife's city where he averages 65+? I don't know. But, all I can say is he is one big innings away from finding his touch. When I say 'BIG', I mean a 100+ score.

The upcoming Nagpur test will be remembered for events like Dada's last test, Laxman's 100th test, Dhoni's first as official captain, India regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Harbhajan's 300th test wicket (on 299 now), the Fab Four playing together for one last time and Kumble being with the team for the last time (maybe to lift the trophy). But, this could also be a last for the man I am talking about it. Will he call it quits if he fails twice in the next test? Should he? Does he still have something to offer to Indian cricket?

Let's not get over-zealous about getting rid of senior players. Two are already going. This has to be managed well so that there are enough senior players to mentor the new junior players. Two leaving in a short time is OK. A third would be too much of a shock.

Dravid should be kept for another several months until the batting order solidifies again.

As you say, the Nagpur test could end up eventually being a end of era not just for Ganguly but Dravid as well. Which would be such a shame because it would mean saying goodbye to perhaps the most technically correct batsman of modern era cricket as well as on of the last ambassadors of the "gentelmen's game".
The least the management could do is to give ganguly's position down the order to Dravid and revert Laxman to no. 3 slot where he is more comfortable. I believe Dravid still has enough cricket to prove wrong to all those experts who feels his time has come to retire.

Hmmm..
Solid arguments.
When the lean patch occurs after many years of service, you might say it is time to go?
Is it always the case, have you studied any other cases in history? Dravid has been fine player for years. What could motivate him? He is no longer a captain or the great current player for India.
Do you have any suggestions? Talk other side too.

No! Don't jinx the him! I wish you hadn't written the first paragraph of this piece. Now people will take these ideas to the extreme and call for his resignation at a completely wrong time. Leave him be, else the melancholy from Kumble's departure will be felt again with Dravid's retirement.

Sreekar, there is no such thing as a mere 53.3 average. Please check your facts; Dravid's average trounces Ganguly's, beats Gavaskar's, and is only 1 short of India's best ever, Tendulkar. It might be time for him to go, but there is a way to treat these titans when you write about them, and that's with respect.

I'd like to remind this one eyed India supporter that there is another match to play yet before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is decided.
This is India's one great chance to win against Australia before the issue of retiring greats creep upon them, first Kumble, then Ganguly, then Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman.
On what I have seen this is the absolute peak of Indian cricket - downhill from here. Rubbish replacements to come in like walking wicket Yurav.
So no chance of being no 1, especially when you draw so many matches. You have to win to be undisputed no. 1. It just is not going to happen like that for India if they can't win matches against a weakened Australia who are at their lowest point for the last 15 years.

Dravid has given so much to the Indian cricket and i m pretty sure that there are more people who want him to play than those who don't. As a fan, i would like him to be back in form and make runs in the last test. But everything that has a start has an end so it will be nice if he quits on a high than quitting now.

I think dravid is feeling the pressure. He is a classy batsmen. He was given the name of THE WALL because he made sure the opponents thought of him like a wall. But slowly by slowly, there are cracks getting in the wall, the only way he can reproduce himself is by being patient. Coming on 1st down is always a pressure and a hesitation as well especially if you are facing some of the great bowlers. He has to be more patient like before and I am pretty sure he will do something more that will give his name and identity back. The name that he is really known by. All the best jammy. God bless you. Hope to see your wonderful innings in Nagpur.

We have to pay a price for freedom of expression. Any Tom, Dick and Harry of the Indian "media" will have an opinion to express. I just wonder what the people in India are doing. Don't they have any thoughts on their own? Why can't they protest in some form against the media? What is it about the public that makes it just consume whatever trash the media is dishing out? Grow a spine Indians. These players need our support.
Go Fab Four!
S

Why don't you learn to shut up? It is people like you who get on the back of a player if he is not performing. Give Dravid a chance. If Dravid feels he cannot contribute then he will leave the team gladly. If what you said is something to go by then Matty Hayden would have retired some time ago, Steve Waugh would have been out a long time before, and Ganguly would have never come back for his last hurrah. Let the man find his groove. If he can't he has more than enough dignity to leave gracefully.

The third test is just over the horizon now and a change of the old guard will take place. The third test will surely prove to be a momentus occasion. Firstly India will look to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, something on the last few attempts they've been close to do doing. If you thought that was a big distraction, there's also the player milestones. However After this Test, Indian cricket will be provided with a few more. Who will fill the "Jumbo" sized shoes of Kumble? Will the real Harbhajhan finally stand up? Who will take Ganguly's batting slot? Who will be next to go from the fab 3?
Change isn't such a bad thing,although many people fear change. The key is make the right changes and manage them efficiently.
Theres's no doubt the Indian selectors have some important changes to be made. How they implement and manage these changes, will be the key to the success or detriment to Indian Cricket.

If he fails, he need not necessarily quit cricket. He should be dropped, and made to work his way back to the team, just like what happened with Dada. Among the surviving Fab 4, Dravid is the fittest of them all, and is the youngest of them. So, he might still be able to come back and create an impact that he alone can create and then quit. He need not look far for an example - Dada did that, and is now retiring with his chin up.

I think its enogh for this series. or this series will be remembered best for all retirements. I sould say couple of retirement (with ganguly actully in some touch)have prolonged others careers. Dravid might have another go against England and access from there. Remember he was only one who could score something in Srilanka when everyone else was paralysed. But yehh he is the next in line.. Lakshman and Sachin would go on for some more time looking at they way they are batting.

Having lost dada and Kumble it definitely is NOT the time for Dravid to go. He might be sorely tempted to though, considering how easily people turn on him. His record is comparable with Sachin, but while the Little Master gets all the adulation (despite the occasional lean run), there are calls for Dravid's dumping when he has a bit of a lean trot. Leave him alone, and provide him the mental support and respect he deserves. I am absolutely certain he will produce a big score in Nagpur and prove his critics wrong. Remember how Dada came back after his dumping. Maybe one adjustment can be to swap VVS and Dravid's batting spots.

Sreekar, I don't know what people like you and who support your views want in this world? If a batsman was in form of his life and had Avg of 59+ than he is good and when the Avg is down to 53.3 its mere..for your information..only few batsman in the world, leave aside for India, have managed an average of 53.3. You people just want to sensatinalise the thing. OK..Now you have two scap goats in Ganguly and Kumble and now you want other three to follow the suit. Right..?? but did you even gave a thought about the replacements? Do u really have replacements for fab 5. The answer is simple NO..India is failed to produce a quality test batsman since evolution of Sehwag or may be Gambhir to some extend and please learn to respect the giants of Indian Cricket. They are playing Cricket since long time and they know when there time will be UP..so don't come and shout for anything you want.

Another Couple of series rather than the next test will answer whether Dravid will continue playing for another year or so. He is without doubt physically fit but he doesn’t seem to be enjoying his cricket. Rarely has one seen him get out the way he has over the past 6 months or so. Even when he got runs like in Perth or in SL, he wasn’t at his fluent best. It was a struggle. Making him open didn’t help him either. If Gambhir doesn’t play in Nagpur, he mustn’t be pushed to do so. With dada retiring, it will be great for Indian cricket if Dravid can find his form and hang on for another 3-4 series till the new guy replacing dada finds his feat. Common Dravid, another 5-6 tons isn’t out of your reach, relax do what you do best, scoring tons of runs and leave on a high!!!

In my opinion, Rahul Dravid is the best Test Batsman slighty ahead of Sachin and Gavaskar. Since the England tour, he has not been at peace and something has been pricking him which has brought down his batting. I guess, one good score against the Aussies will bring him back to best and hopefully that happens in the 1st innings in Nagpur and I am sure it will continue in the next test series. Everyone knows his personality and if he is not able to get it right very soon, I am sure he will hang up his boots.

Who are we to decide when a great player like Dravid should retire, or for that matter the remaining of the Fab 4. It is completely their prerogative. They have earned it. But on current form, I don't see how the selectors can select him if he fails in Nagpur, given his long drought since the tour to SA in 2006. We tend to cloud a straight forward decision with lots of other emotions. Its all about KISS (Keep it simple stupid). If the player is performing in the immediate past regardless of him being a senior or junior, regardless of his age, then he should be selected. However, if there is a better player available(solely based on form), then he should be dropped. Based on Dravid's current form, I am sure one of Badri/Raina/Rohit/Kaif would perhaps perform better. But for this Nagpur test, I would like Dhoni to send him at No.6 which would give Dravid a better chance of striking form than at the pressure filled No.3 and then go from there.

Please do not include any other name in the list. Every individual have their own predicament and others have to respect that. But somehow this is not applicable to the poor Indian cricketers. Once again the media begin to sensationalise the issue rather than to analyse the issue. I see only a few differences between the current mediapersons and the Indian politicians.
Gangulys decision to retire is a reciprocation to a group of people he only knows.
Kumbles decision what I think is premature ( especially if he can bowl such a long spell he cannot attribute his decision to his aging body, perhaps he had lost his lethality )
Dravid, Sachin and VVS still have got a couple of years left.
Leave them in peace, show all your skills to find apt replacements for these guys than to criticise each trait of these great players and entertainers.

Frankly fed up of this 'seniors' debate . It was worth some words if there were any real replacements . To put things in perspective , lets go back to when these guys made their debut . Would we have let them wait because there were some guys around who we were indebted to because of their past performance ? Can anyone seriously think that the likes of Suresh Raina , Yuvraj are sure shot winners ? Coming to Dravid , I think its a matter of time before he answers people who can only think short-term .

Dear Sreekar, I personally feel that instead of writing an article "who's next" on Dravid and later showing sympathy on him and wishing him to make good scores is not appropriate. If you wished that he didn't receive much media scrutiny, you shouldn't have written this article in first place. Now that Kumble and Ganguly are retiring already, I think the team needs Tendulkar, Dravid and Lakshman more now, to stabilize the team. I feel very sad when reading articles and statistics analyzing his performance recently. Of course, you have every right to do so, but exaggerating facts is objectionable. Even now, the phrase 'mere 53.8' is inappropriate. It's still very good, as one reader has already said. Its like the media(including internet,blogs) are smoking the seniors out of the team, as if the pressure on them is not sufficient. I think the best way we can encourage them is to let them play and let them choose when to step down. Lets not decide who's next to go or to come in.........

Dravid is not technically the best batsman now. He was. His bat is coming down from point. And that is why he is late on shots and dragging the ball on to the stumps. Those who know a bit about batting can check this out next time you watch him bat. If he makes that coorection he will once again start making runs and be the best.

I don't know if you are being naive & ignorant or cunningly smart here !!

Because you talk about putting pressure on the "Fab Four". With Ganguly and to a point Kumble too having been consumed by all those unwarranted criticisms you talk about Dravid being the next in line........

You talk about the media putting pessure on these but what different have you done here .... ?

I don't know who is this "Sreekar Tanuku" and this aptly summarises what our Fab Four have been going through......... Anyone can write anything about them.

Spare a thought folks !!

first of all the test series isnt over yet, so i dont know how you can say india will retain the border gavaskar trophy as if it's certain. india are the better side as of now but you cant definately say they will win at nagpur, thats just plain ignorant. an average of 53.3 is not a mere average either and neither is an average of 59.38 bradmanesque. i suggest you leave your biased statements out before you bother writing a blog. sheesh the audacity of some indian fans. oh and by the way india have to win a lot more matches before they can be number one. drawing a test when on top is not a trait of champion team, that too against the weakest aussie team in over 15 years. im sure if india had gone for the win they would have won. lets see how india fare when the time comes for their team to rebuild after the rest of the fab four retire. im guessing they will be in a worst of position than australia are at the moment. think before you speak nonsense please you're embarrassing yourself

@Divya Prakash
I guess you totally got me wrong.I just asked a question, and never made a statement.My article is to personify how bad things can go even for a great player, and not how bad a player is.Personally, I would love to see him play for 2 more years.

@Others,
Yeah, I know India have not eat regained the trophy and Yeah, I might eat my words.

There is a time for every one to say good bye. Yes the fan's wouuld always want there hero's to carry on. Being a Pakistani i would still like to hear the comforting and reassuring words in the times of need "wasim bhai abhi zinda hain", meaning u don't need to worry wasim Akram is there. I think fab four needs to give way to the new generation. With Dhoni at the helm please don't make him carry the stuff he don't wants to or he shouldn't Now is the time for him to really shine. Let his personality come out. Whether any one agrees or not I think fab four put together don't have the personality or charisma (onfield) not talking about perfrmance of a Dhoni. and what do they say captaincty takes toll on the performance like Sachin, Dravid etc just check out who is on the top of ODI ranking!!!!!!!!! DONT GIVE DHONI EXCESS BAGGAGE .............. and let them go on their peak so that they don't face the situation of people calling for their HEADS ( its very painfull)

Rahul Dravid is one of the greatest player India has ever produced.I feel he still has couple of more years of cricket left in him. I would like to thank dravid for providing entertainment for over a decade and also wish him a very best of luck for the remaining of his cricketing carrer and also life.

yes.. dravid is good & have done wonders for india. But it is his time to go as well..No one can stay on permanently. Bradman's & Kumble's & Gilchrist's have to go.. its the ultimate truth.
The idea would be to retire at your prime.. & all Indian players tend to hang on.. for ever.. eg. Kumble should have retired a lot earlier.. & what's dravid doing in 20/20?? its against his charachter.. so grow up, admit that its not your cup of tea and walk away...

Tendulkar & Laxman has still lots to offer.. Laxman should have played in last 2 world cups... but regional politics.. alas..

The point i am making is.. sure u r good..& u were the best..but when its time to go...just go. walk away with your head high..

there would be plenty of opportunities to make more money..

Rahul Dravid at half his best is much much better than most of our so called GenNext players. Tell a suitable replacement for him. We dont have any. Players like Dravid had scored tons of runs in the doemestic ciruit before doning the India cap. That time the media was not so active so these facts had gone unnoticed. Just because of Media, who flashes 'Breaking News' even if a Uthappa or a Kohli scores a century in a Ranji Trophy of a domestic game doesnot mean he is ready for the white uniform. It has to be earned NOT gifted!

Dravid has played for so many years in Tendulkar's (huge) shadow that he is often overlooked by Indian supporters. Now, all of a sudden he has to stay? No, the best thing FOR DRAVID is to retire while he is still wanted, rather than suffering the ignominy of being asked to leave. The same goes for Tendulkar. This past fortnight has been the only time in 2008 that he has scored any runs. Now that he has broken Lara's record, he should set his sights on retiring IN INDIA so all his devotees can say goodbye. The most auspicious time would be the Mumbai Test just before Christmas.
One other thing; why is Hayden still playing? He has limped through so many innings, and yet he is chosen ahead of many talented openers.

Well written Sreekar!
I have been a supporter of Fab 4 in the recent arguments that we are having everywhere.
And I seriously think that neither Dravid nor Laxman should retire.
But dont you think that given the stats that you have presented, he should be dropped from the test team.
Given his current form, it may be the best thing for him. He should go back to domestic games and get his form back and then comeback and silence his critics.

@Hiten... Dude get ur understanding right bfor blaming d writer...
What he was referring to when he said a mere 53.3 was in comparison with the bradmanesque 59.8, and to emphasise the greatness of Dravid (so much so that even an avg of 53.3 seems low). Yes, Dravid's avg now is close to that of T'kar.. and can go higher as u say,,, and deserves to.. since Dravid is a much better player hands down..

Personally I would love to see Dravid get a well compiled ton at nagpur and shut all his critics who are calling for his head. The Raina's, the Yuvi's are not test cricket material at all. The only ones who may take the next step are Kaif and Badri, though the latter has not yet grabbed the opportunities that have come his way.
Please leave the man alone and I am sure he will come back with a bang!! He is one of those who would want to answer with his bat and not words.

The sad thing is holding such debates in the absence of facts. Here's what stats query says about Dravid over the last 2 years (excl Bangladesh):

Matches: 22
Innings: 42
Runs: 1122
HS: 111
Ave: 29.52

Add in Bangladesh and the average goes up to 32.

There is clearly a problem. Dravid's form had slipped notably and he's performing at a less than acceptable level since the West Indies series, his last outstanding performance as batsman and captain.

I'm a huge Dravid fan. I think he's the most important Indian batsman of the last 20 years, in some ways more valuable than Tendulkar.

But, this does not bring a lifetime free pass to belong to the Indian national team. There has to be a correlation to performance, even though all of us want it to be a very generous margin for players like Rahul. But his performance as well as the lack of fluency in his batting means we need a serious look at his ability to recover his form; or failing that let's have a respectful and fair alternative.

Riverlime -You have got to be kidding about hayden seriously The series before thisd one he caned the indians backside making three centuries and one bad series isn't doesn't justify a drooping maybe a few bad series on the trot maybe but not now.

Anyways I think rahul might quit very soon having a couple of bad years on your belt will get him thinking about it that is for sure.

What these guys(media) think are people will think they know all if they keep on criticising these cricketing gaints of INDIA. What do these idiots know about cricket? can they survive atleast one test match? NO. Can anybody see the medias asking their country players to retire outside india? Ony here in our country that these useless people ruin the pleasure of match.

Whats with all the negativity why not point the retirement finger at say hayden aswell every player no matter who has a lean patch India needs to back him. Nevertheless india I believe have two up coming stars in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. I for one think the Indians will win the series they have been the far better side so far and all the aussies have been able to do is run their mouth As an englishman I would love to see that happen I think the aussies have a real attitude problem and I think they will loose this series and the Southafrica one. Dravid is still a class player you dont loose talent overnight I think sooner or later he will fire again and hopefully sooner

Seekar he will go on a big note..peoples like you said 10 years ago he is not a player of one day cricket what happend he has more than 10000 runs..so be patient stop making own assumptions and creating these kind of riduclios article who is next...Its you stop talking about cricket if you can not respect national heroes they all are heros and dravid is the best one..he will be among runs very soon and will go on a big note just new captian dhoni should aupport him....all the best Rahul...

I can see it coming. His mind clouded by a million things. The man who was concentration personified is finding it hard to focus. Rahul Dravid, arguably India's best bat, has to go and when I say this, I am heartbroken but he must go on his own terms. The Indian media has been so unfair to him - like they have been to other seniors - but I want, as a cricket fan, one last shot at glory. One last what I say a Dravidsque innings. Period.

Oh God! People need to acquaint themselves with Sarcasm first. Sreekar is reflecting upon the irony that Dravid is most likely going to be put through in the near future by the media probably as soon as nagpur.

As for retirement, if he can survive till the end of the England's tour of India he can survive as long as Sachin.

Come on yaar, please stop all these scraps and let them play the cricket on the ground and let us not play in our computers. If we are going to criticise players like Sachin, Rahul, VVS, Sourav then the players who are going to replace all these giants are all already under pressure to perform.This is not the way to treat our players who had served the nation with Dignity & Loyalty.
Let them decide when to hang their boots, if somebody from outside asked us to stop doing our job will we do?.India are on the verge of regaining the tropy from OZ and criticism such as these add salt to the injuries.Let us all wish the greats all the very best and wish ANIL & SOURAV a very happy retired life. Sachin & Rahul has to be there for some more years to guide the younger generation as Anil did to Harbhajan.

All the best TEAM INDIA we are with U

Dravid should retire immediately. I do not see much value from the seniors in today's cricket game. Can they drive the match and make it a win game - Answer is No. Can they take pressure in a situation like - 20/4 in 6 overs. Anser is No. Can they win a match when India needs 4 runs in 4 balls - Answer is No. Then why to keep them in the team ? Better to give chance to the juniors and let them learn and take ownerships.

well, Ganguly is going, Jumbo is gone. Tendulkar and Laxman are not doing a lot wrong so that there is less shouts on them.
but Dravid??? he certainly has sliped up from the lofty standards that he set for himself and has been patchy for quite sometime. but the team management has got to be blaimed much for this disaster, as Dravid was shuttled up and down the order for no sensible reason, and making him open in Australia was the last bit.
he is too good a cricketr to be dumped like that. I believe its going to be MSD's moment. time to think out of the box, let Rahul bat down at 6 with VVS slotting at 3, and even after Dada leaves, let Rahul bat down at 6 so that the replacement may be Badrinath get enough protection as he can come in between Tendulkar and Dravid. I think less demand and less pressure can Bring Dravid's bat back to life, and that is what India need now, not another inexperienced replacement having no idea about a solid batting technic

Dravid should have hung his boots atleast in the beginning of this tour after his dismal run of form during the last 2 years and especially in the last 10 months ever since he relinquished his captaincy.
One of the finest technicians to have wielded the willow, it is really hard to fathom how one can dip so much because normally the artists and touch players loose their ability overnight and not the technicians.
In any case, he has had enough of chances and he should hang his boots even if he comes out with some stellar performance (which I earnestly hope, he will) at Nagpur.
This is the right time to make transition to a much talented Rohit in a home series rather than fielding him in an overseas series.
This is no way to belittle the greatness of Dravid but one would like him to bow out with dignity like the Ozzies and not being chucked out.

@All who did not get the gist of my article and had a go(apparently hard-core dravid fans like me),

I am so pleased to see so many Dravid lovers like me.Lets all hope Dravid comes back strongly and plays on for couple of years. For me, he is right up there with the greatest Indian players, and arguably above Sachin in tests. Go Dravid.

@All who think I was wrong in saying 'mere'

Please look at Wake's comment. That was clearly my intention.

Sreekar has written in a positive way if any body go through his write up in detail with an anlysing capacity. It seems he is a big fan of RAHUL DRAVID and he thinks that some of the psople who at the helm of affairs in the sport of cricket, they are just looking at his present performance but not in the past performance for over a period of 15 years and he is doing yeoman service to the sport and Team India. I think he is just passing through a bad period and certainly he will come up with flying colors in the next test match keeping his fans in a happy mood. ALL THE BEST DRAVID

@Van Burgh

Perfect. You have understood my views correctly.Hope others follow suit.

@Panicker

Making him bat at 6 till he finds touch is not a bad option. I agree. But, this should have been done long back.

Come On Dravid

For the last 2 years Dravid has been a man hounded by the media and fans alike. Much of the criticism directed against the man, at least initially, was grossly unfair.

Even now his captaincy is looked upon as a failure, inspite of the evidence that he won the highest percentage of matches in one-dayers for an Indian captain who led in more than 50 matches, won test series in England and Westindies, and won the first ever test in SA. The England series is a strange case. Many Indians remember it as a drawn or lost series, and comment that India would have won it if Dravid was aggressive. For once, let's say it loud enough; India did win the test series in England.

His batting has less excuses. A few times he promised to come out of the rut. The 93 in Perth, the final innings in Lanka, and the first innings in the on going series. If he converted one of those innings into a three figure mark, it would have marked the end of his lean phase-->

(the century against SA does not count as a confidence booster on the background of Sehwag's triple). As luck would have it, it wouldn't and he would have to start at 0 again in the next innings. Unlike lesser mortals good looking 30-40-50's don't count as success for Dravid. It would have to be a century.

However, 2 years and 22 tests is a long time. It's long overdue that Dravid turns things around. Does such a long phase without overcoming the mental blocks indicate a serious flaw? It needs a lot of mental toughness to play 128 tests and averaging 53+ with 5 double centuries. I'd still like to think it is only a matter of time. But time, at 35, is one thing he does not have.

He is the fittest of the senior trio (Laxman and Sachin being the other 2; Ganguly retires after Nagpur). He occupies a key fielding spot. Sachin breaks down frequently these days. Laxman isn't the same against non-Australian opponents-->

Doesn't Australia retain the trophy if they win the last Test? They have got Gambhir out of the way, should be a lot easier now. This is the most excitable article I've ever read in on this site.
A mere 53 indeed, Dravid can play for another 3 years easily, he is one batsman who relishes playing in tough conditions overseas, he is very fit, and he is a slip, why on earth would he quit? Who are you hoping to replace him with? Young guys who hit 4's and 6's on flat pitches?
Sehwag, Gambhir, Laxman, Tendulkar and Dravid are without doubt the best lineup in the world, hold on to them for a couple of years at least, and let the young guys get their feet wet in the One Day team.

Let's get this straight: Dravid's average in the past two years, incl. the current series, is 32.04. This is not acceptable for a No. 3 batsman. Are his potential successor likely to average more than 32? I think yes. The time has come to bow out gracefully and not live on dole. Kumble has shown the way. Ganguly, I agree, was unnecessarily targeted since he has been in good form after his comeback, except in one series, but there's not much to be done now. Sachin is a holy cow, whom no one will call to slaughter, but the key point is that many deserving players who toil the domestic circuit now must get their turn to show their skills on the international level. And let's start building a new Fab Four. Two (Sehwag and Gambhir) are already on their way to be greats, and Dhoni, Zaheer, Ishant and Harbhajan are likely to get there too. So why fret about the future?

"If you havent got somebody better to replace a player with, dont drop anyone". It is simple but highly effective. That Rahul Dravid is out of touch is obvious, even he will tell you that by his standards, he has struggled a bit. But who do you replace him with? Already Indian selectors have to find a replacement for Sourav Ganguly. Another vacancy in a hurry and that too at first drop, a critical spot on any cricket team, will leave Team India short of experience and composure. Dravid provides that presence that even opponenets respect. The sight of Dravid walking in to bat after an early wicket, will test the oppositons resolve and not see them entertain any grandoise thoughts of running through the batters into the tail before lunch. The Wall will stand and fight. The effects of Dravids retirement in the Indian sheds will be huge. A player of his claibre will be a sounding board for new captain Dhoni, as he gets used to the grind of International cricket in all 3 forms of the game.

I do not agree with the media being pictured as the villains here .. In fact the media should be given credit of displaying excellent judgement.

Anil kumble vehemently denied retirement calls and said he has a lot of cricket left in him just a week back and then realized a week later indeed his time was up. He clearly admitted that this was the best time for him to leave, which he couldn't agree a week back when the media pointed out the same to him.

The whole of India is just busy getting emotional and counting insigficant accumulative numbers to defend their heroes .
In fact the fab 4 should have called quits right after the IPL where their stroke play stood exposed compared to the younger lot.
Given the free license to play their strokes, they still could come up only with nudges (remember 20-20 is not just slog, there were plenty of batsmen who scored 2 boundaries an over all along the ground with proper drives, pulls etc for eg. Sehwag/Gambhir for delhi). It was shocking seeing them device a strategy where they play anchor even in 20-20!( and this despite them being the highest paid in the side)

@waterbuffalo

Spot on when you talk about RD's overseas skills, and the current crop who are lords of flat pitches.It is tough to find replacements for the likes of Sachin and Dravid. And, 3 more years for Dravid you say.Wow, that would be awesome.

As expressed by sreekar, Rahul Dravid is just passing through a bad patch in his cricketing career after all being fans of him, we are feeling a lot and at the same time we just think about Rahul, how much quantam of agony he is having right now for the man who did Ten Thousand plus Test runs in his fifteen years of carrer and contributed a lot to the Indian Cricket without any self goals in him. This is the time to extend our moral support to him to get best of him for the sake of INDIAN CRICKET. Please do not forget that he is THE GREAT WALL OF INDIAN CRICKET.