Cricket: Looking for a chink in 'The Wall'

By RICHARD BOOCK

When it comes to the vexed issue of India's woeful touring record, Rahul Dravid must sometimes feel like retiring to the nearest corner and curling up in the foetal position.

Whatever else is topical when India are touring, their record of not winning a series outside the sub-continent since 1986 is always near the top of the list, and tends to be aired in such a way that all members of the party are implicated.

That might not be altogether unfair on some players, but it is an outrageous criticism of Dravid, the man Indians call "'The Wall," in reference to his stout defence and unflappable approach, not to mention the obstacle he presents for opposition bowlers.

As it happens, while some of his team-mates probably deserve all the flak they get, Dravid has fashioned an extraordinary record and remains one of the few players to score more runs overseas than at home.

The elegant right-hander, unquestionably one of the best batsmen in the world, has bucked his team's trend by making some of his biggest statements on the road, notably this year against England, when he posted scores of 115, 148 and 217 consecutively, and finished with a series average of just over 100.

Criticised early in his career for being a "strokeless wonder," Dravid is not quite as aggressive as Sachin Tendulkar or Sourav Ganguly, but makes up for it with unwavering application and discipline - a combination that prompted Daniel Vettori to describe him as the most patient batsman in the world.

Already rated as the most successful No 3 since Don Bradman, India's Player of the Year is averaging 54.28 in tests overall, but is doing even better overseas, averaging a heady 59.13 compared with 48.93 at home.

In comparison, Tendulkar, regarded by many as the champion batsman of the modern era, averages 64.52 at home and falls away to 53.77 abroad.

"Touring is challenging because you have to handle the different culture, the different grounds and the different conditions," Dravid said yesterday.

"But we've been working hard on our record overseas and have managed to win three tests away from home this year, which is an improvement.

"When you look at the players we've got, I think we're definitely making progress, and we're definitely becoming more competitive, even on the road."

The man with 14 test centuries under his belt had not seen much batting on this tour before the start of the Wellington test, having missed the Max match at Christchurch before being knocked over for 0 and 1 against Central Districts at Napier.

But he would not accept that his wicket was possibly the most crucial of all the Indian batsmen, despite the fact he was averaging a lofty 62.67 when India won, against 28.36 when they lost.

"Everyone's been making runs this year so I don't really see myself as the key player.

"There's a lot of guys in the side who can make just as much an impact as me, and anyway, when it comes to a test series there's no one player who can do it on his own."

Dravid is no stranger to New Zealand after touring here in 1998-99, missing out in both innings of the first test at Wellington before scoring 190 and an unbeaten 103 at Hamilton, the first Indian to score a century in each innings since Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar.

"I enjoyed my cricket the last time I was in New Zealand, it's a lovely place to play cricket, a lovely country to visit and I always enjoy coming here.

"It's good to be here and if I can score some runs as well, that would be a real bonus."

One of the beauties for an Indian test star in New Zealand is the freedom of movement, something that would be impossible in the frenetic and intensely populated atmosphere back home, where players are constantly besieged by fans.

Tendulkar has taken to going for midnight drives in a bid to avoid the throng, and the situation is no different for Dravid, Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh or VVS Laxman, most of whom see little freedom until they leave India.

"It's a difficult thing, but that's also the charm of being an Indian cricketer," Dravid said. "There's so much on television and in the papers, and everyone has an opinion on things - from former cricketers, who are expert commentators on television, to the man who runs a sweet shop near my house.

"But you need that, the game needs that passion. It is not easy, but you have to learn to accept it."

As for his own batting, there was a constant need for reappraisal and adjustment in order to improve and keep up with the trends, not to mention countering the different types of bowlers emerging around the world.

He suggested no international player was too old to pick up new ideas and strategies, and said that anyone who chose to sit on their laurels would be quickly exposed by the rapid changes within the game.

"I've played for about six years at this level and am constantly looking to set standards for myself and meet them.

"I'm always looking to improve as a player. All the time you're playing against people who are professional and getting better, so if you don't keep improving, you'll be left behind.

"It comes down to this: if you want to become a better player, you really need to concentrate on the process of learning.

"You have to keep looking at yourself and seeing what you can do better, what changes you can make to improve."