RD 3:16

Those of you wondering what the title actually stands for, here is a little explanation. 3:16 was used by Stone cold Steve Austin and is an obvious WWF(as it was called then) hangover. Austin used it to denote that it was his time now. So the smart asses would have got the reference now and those of u who still dint...well....read the rst of the post.

December 19
0955 hrs
Mohali

India won the toss and elected to bat first. In walked Sehwag-Gambhir duo. As soon as sehwag got strike he tried to get out and was 3rd time lucky to get an edge. India 6-1.

Phase 1: An air of expectancy

Rahul Dravid walks in. His face as determined as ever. Striding out with the same helmet and the same bat he has been using for the past 2 series.(Some ridiculous news channel suggested that he is not seeing the ball properly coz of his helmet's grill, which was too close)

He did not look weighed down neither by expectation nor by the pressure. Afterall he had thrived on these situations all throughout his career. Too many questions were in the air. Is this his last outing? Has he stayed for too long? Is the Wall crumbling? Will he or more importantly CAn he make runs? RD as always and unlike the last 2 series had the answers this time.

Phase 2: Deja Vu'
It is winter time in India and Mohali is in the northern parts of the country. At this time it is cool, murky and foggy. Overcast conditions. Movement off the wicket. The conditions were more Leeds than Lucknow. Dravid is the man in such conditions and his knocks that elevated him from Good to Great came in such scenarios(Leeds 148, Headingley 217(2002)).

Phase 3: The Struggle
The first ball faced, is greeted with his best shot, the front foot defence. Long stride forward, the bat so straight that one cud use it as a plumbline, and sweet sound of leather hitting the timber.
The next few deliveries however

• A play and a miss
  
• Left alone but almost brushed the off stump
• Big inswinger struck on the pad....loud appeal

Its a struggle already. Grind.Defy.Fight it out. These words are synonymous with RD, and he is out there proving it one more time. More than ever before.
Desperation. RD off the mark with a "yes..no..yes" kinda single.
Just for the record. Stuart broad and James Anderson are on an absolute roll. Moving the ball in and out prodigiously,jagging back off a length.
Rd is precarious 1 off 16 deliveries faced.
Change of tactics from Anderson. Bat pad on the off side. This will prevent Dravid from lunging forward to deliveries.
Andy's Nuggets This might well be a blessing in disguise as it will prevent RD from prodding at the ball and nicking it to the keeper. he will have to play from the crease and play late. Good for him.
The slice of luck Dravid suffocated, tries to break free. Pulls awkwardly to Anderson. Ball loops up in the air but falls safely between Square leg and Deep square leg. Hmm..the rub of the green going his way for a change.

Interesting passage of play. Freddy bowling really well at full throttle.These last six balls have been played with confidence right from the middle of the blade by RD. negotiated safely. Not much of a feat but considering the kind of form he is in, this would do his confidence a world of good.
Confidence. RD pulls and pulls well. His first boundary in 5 innings. RD 11*(53)

21 overs negotiated safely. Its lunch on day 1 at Mohali. After the end of a curtailed but testing session RD still there.

Phase 4: The Signs
The palyers are back after luch. The skies are still overcast and no signs of the Sun coming out.
Monty to RD. Full outside off. BANG !!!. Cover drive .Four.
Godd to see that backlift goin and the full flow of the bat.

Ahh. Nice to see that. Flintoff steams in and bowls short of good length. The ball keeps low but RD manages well. SMILE. Finally its there. Long time since anybody last saw him smiling. Ahh that jammy childlike smile. B-E-A-utiful.

Ohh...Vintage Dravid. Full on legstump. Four. nobody moves. RD's ondrives are flowing now.

Now that is surely the moment of the day. Monty has 2 short extra cover fielders within 2 metre of each other, to prevent RD from driving. Dravid still drives and not only bisects the two of them but also beats wide mid off to earn a boundary. That shot had class written allover it.
RD 39*(87)

Phase 5: The waiting game
England have now resorted to defensive methods and are trying to draw mistakes from the batsmen by bowling well outside off stump with packed fields.
At Tea RD 53*(148)
The going is not easy. The wicket is not the easiest to bat on and england are genuinely bowling good lines and lengths.
Especially Graeme Swann is in the middle of a great spell. He has had 2 very close LBW shouts and had gambhir almost stumped and a catch dropped too. 7-2-9-0.

Phase 6: Thats all Gentlemen
Bad light and cloud cover causes the play to end early. Only 72 overs have been bowled in the day in which India has managed a healthy 179-1.
After the initial gring nothing seems to have perturbed Rd. He now looks in the zone with cover drives and on drives flowing off his willow. Though his strike rate for the Day is around 32 but one thing is for sure. The WALL has set up his stall and has everything to look forward to tomorrow. RD 65*(205)




This innings ended all speculation about RD's future in Indian cricket and cleared all doubts about his ability to still score runs at the highest level. The next day he went on to complete his 26th test century and was finally out trying to up the tempo. Caught panesar bowled Swann 136(328)
Even on reaching his 100 there were no fancy celebrations, no pumping of fists ...no punching the air. Just a muted sigh of relief and gratitude to the almighty.
His 71 runs on the 2nd day came off 123 deliveries. And soon after he departed India lost 4 wickets within 17 runs. Showing the true value of his innings.
He later said that he did not do anything different this time round, he knew that a big score was round the corner and it would come sooner rather than later.
The writer salutes the Greatest servant of indian cricket.

"Form is temporary...Class is permanent."