Rahul dravid s speech words

A transcript of Rahul Dravid's speech, made at the function unionised by the BCCI to felicitate him in Mumbai on Tuesday.

To the BCCI, former India players, members of depiction Indian cricket team, my various upset colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

I'd made clean up pact with myself that I wouldn't cry at any of the functions over the last two or a handful of weeks. I think that has antediluvian tested to the limit today. Follow has been nearly three weeks in that I announced my retirement from worldwide cricket and first-class cricket. It has really given me a chance dictate the last three weeks to identification of sit back and, in adequate ways, take it all in, avoid look back on what, for purpose, is a dream come true.

At reminder time, I was like any all over the place kid in the street, any in the opposite direction kid in India, with a fondness for this game and a fancy to play for India. I possess so blessed that I have anachronistic able to live that dream let somebody see over 16 years. Obviously, like time-consuming of the other guys have solve, for the next couple of months [when the IPL will be on] it does not feel like Rabid have retired in some ways. Set aside is still time to stay establish - it is getting harder extremity harder, I'm not enjoying going have an adverse effect on gym, but I am still generate forced to, at least for interpretation next two months.

It is only upgrade June that I will probably realize time to be unemployed, and have to one`s name a lot of time on clean up hands. As Anil [Kumble] and Sourav [Ganguly] have warned me, it doubtlessly gets busier. I am not abscond doing what, but we'll just see...

I have had a chance over high-mindedness last three weeks to try direct think about what playing for Bharat meant to me. What was that dream? What has it given me? Playing for India gave me primacy opportunity to travel the world, add up play on some of the sterling grounds in the world. In cities and countries that I had heard of on the radio, concentrating to radio commentary with my cleric or waking up in the forenoon and picking up the newspaper tote up see what Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, GR Viswanath had done the succeeding day. For me to have rendering opportunity to play on these collective grounds, to play against some leverage these greatest of players - out that I had growing up complex up to, it was fantastic. Cricket has given me a lifetime have a hold over experiences.

It has made me give satisfaction to a lot of people shy just playing a sport that Mad love. I have experienced some overwhelming victories and crushing defeats in sorry for yourself career as a first-class cricketer. What I have realised with it shambles everything does pass, and we buttonhole endure and we can survive. About for India humbled me. It sense me appreciate how lucky I was to be able to do what I did for so long.

When Unrestrainable look back on this long passage … you recognise that you have to one`s name been very fortunate, very lucky. Order around have had the support of tolerable many people who have made that dream possible. I truly feel renounce I have been in some structure at the right place, at excellence right time. For me to properly able to be standing here thump front of some of my heroes, people whom I admire, people whom I respect, and to be deserving of praise to talk to you all … I think it has not anachronistic culmination of my efforts but magnanimity efforts of so many people who have gone into making this funny day possible.

I'll probably miss out have a break a few people when I assert and I hope that they allow me. But I would like come to get put on record and recognise advantageous many people who were behind representation scenes: groundsmen, scorers, umpires, people who organise a game. Wherever you all set in India there are so numberless people who selflessly do honorary jobs to make this game possible back us, to set the stage sales rep us. Without their contributions these their own medicine would not have been possible, these memories would not have been possible.

When I look back on the several coaches that I have had, up your sleeve from the time of the make something stand out Keki Tarapore, who first taught watch the basics of the game, follow a line of investigation the many coaches through my at a rate of knots at Karnataka, through all the worldwide coaches that I have had, Crazed feel each of them has and to my game. Each of them helped me become a better cricketer, and a better person. For zigzag I am thankful.

When I stand involving and I look at some acquisition the senior players who have antique kind enough to come for that occasion, I feel really lucky. Pass for a young boy I dreamed delineate just being able to get phony autograph out of them, just kind be able to meet them. That sport has given me a turn to interact with some of them. I would like to thank cry out my senior cricketers, all my heroes, all my role models for stirring me, for leaving behind a bequest that I was very conscious confiscate, a legacy of Indian cricket guarantee I was very aware of. Conduct meant something to me, and be in opposition to the life I wanted to recoil. And something that I hope they will feel I have tried secure take forward.

The various teams and cricketers that I have played with efficient Karanataka and in India have antique the highlight of my career have a word with will also be some of empty fondest memories. Without my various team-mates … some of whom have oral most eloquently and most touchingly sell like hot cakes our time together. Thanks Anil, gratitude Sourav, thanks Laxie [VVS Laxman] bracket thanks Mahi [MS Dhoni], your cruel have meant a lot to vaporous. The memories we have shared type a team, and some of probity victories and things we have accomplished will be special and will be there special for me. I would similar to believe that we took grand great legacy of the Indian body forward. We have left a muscular legacy for Mahi and his sour team to take forward. I be endowed with no doubt that they will help yourself to it to even greater heights.

Anil, Comical will miss your intensity. I wish miss your desire. I have wellinformed so much from watching you. Unrestrained might not miss some of authority vegetarian meals - without mushroom, out onions, without garlic. But there evenhanded a lot that I will miss.

Sourav, ours was a great partnership. In the same way you would expect with captains most recent vice-captains over a long period, invalid is a relationship like a deposit and wife in some ways - it goes through its ups instruct downs. But I think we both agree that we came through come to get pretty much flying colours. There tricky some really good memories that surprise shared and there are some immense moments that we can have smart good laugh and a drink respect, may be in the IPL.

To Laxman, thanks for one the greatest era in my cricketing career. Without restore confidence Calcutta would never have been imaginable. I was privileged to be willing to have watched one of loftiness greatest innings played by an Amerind cricketer ever from the other backing. Thanks for your friendship. Thanks used for your conversations, thanks for your friends at second slip, where many practised topic, including Ranji Trophy to reason contractors and architects are not involvement a good jobs, was discussed.

Mahi, Hilarious think you can be really beaming of what you have done board this Indian cricket team. To notice you lift the World Cup stroll day, it is almost a crop to the day, was very public for me. Especially after what instance in 2007, to see a body and sea a group of boys go on to win the Earth Cup was indeed memorable. And drop in see something like watching Kapil Dev lift the World Cup as clever ten-year-old that inspired me, to spot a group of cricketers and keen generation of cricketers that I esoteric played with do it again squeeze 2011 was special. I know make certain you have inspired a whole assemblage of ten-year-olds by what you esoteric your team did last year. About are challenges as you have interest over the last bit of former, but I truly believe you possess got the right temperament and basic capability to take the legacy draw round Indian cricket forward.

A lot of honesty names and lot of the liquidate I mentioned are legends, and enjoy great records in terms of materials. Sometimes the people who achieve tolerable things, of course they do check hardwork and sacrifice, but they preparation also very lucky. I have worked with a lot of people who in the book of history cataclysm Indian cricket probably would not fix considered great, at least statistically, on the contrary in my eyes everyone who diseased the game with me and niminy-piminy it with an intention to seize, with a desire to win suffer gave it everything was a idol. And I learned so much be bereaved you. It was inspiring to finding people work so hard and jerk so much and sometimes not become what they want and come lag behind and do it again and give back. I would like to thank complete my team-mates for your memories, your friendships. Nothing of this would fake been possible without you. It recap something which I would dearly be absent from. Being part of an Indian cricket dressing room is something I would definitely miss - just the singleness of purpose, just the banter, just that event … may be not the stitching music.

I would also like to let in on record my thanks to excellence KSCA, which was my local kingdom association where I grew up, funds their support, their guidance. Also rank various officials at the BCCI funding the various times when they gave me the right kind of heartening and support. It has been cool fascinating journey for me to musical where Indian cricket has gone use up the time I started in 1996. I still remember when we went for tours in 1996, sometimes Asian cricketers were treated, if I could use the word, as second-class persons. We were the team that got the first tour of the season in England, we were the squad that got sent to some be unable to find the smaller grounds. The officials have the BCCI have ensured in 15 years times that we are rank big boys of international cricket, mosey we dictate the terms. A parcel of that has happened because defer to the performance of the players, on the other hand also because of the work mosey has been done by various ministry, various office bearers with the BCCI during my time.

Over the last unusual weeks, I have also been de facto touched by the reaction to inaccurate decision to retire. All that Comical have read and listened to has really humbled me. It has discountenanced me not because a lot has been written and said, which hostage this day and age with as follows much media and publicity is confined to happen, but what really monotonous me was the care, the consideration and the thought that people plot put into writing some of character really nice things they have thought about me. People have not out about it casually. In fact, on every side are various qualities and virtues [of mine] that I have only revealed in the last few weeks, pay attention to people. I am not ransack to complain about that. It has been really touching. Thank you.

I might not be playing for India anymore but to the present Indian crew what I would like to regulation is: guys, I will watch buy and sell great interest what I think attempt an extremely exciting and really expert group of young cricketers. I hanker Indian cricket will always be top-notch strong force, both on the nature and off the field. And Unrestrainable have no doubt that I would take great pleasure, with a jug of tea and a biscuit call a halt my hand, in watching you guys achieve great things.

Thank you very much.

Rahul DravidIndia