Bejoy Peter's Public Speaking Blog

The Legend Speaks
Rahul Dravid’s announcement of retirement (Friday, March 9, 2012, Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore) was a delight to listen to. Simple, stylish, as well as moving were his words.

Just like any of his great innings, this speech too was crafted to perfection and delivered with a great sense of belief in self. Rahul Dravid, for long The Wall of Indian Cricket, chose his moment well and left the stage with his head held high.

Though his records and consistency speak for themselves I doubt whether Dravid was ever given the recognition he deserved. Perhaps his retirement has made people think more on the value of this player now that the space he held in the field is empty.

He was a player who was a true gentleman and a selfless cricketer; who combined his talent with hard work and perseverance and went on to achieve remarkable wins for India.He had a great sense of history of the game and was well read on it. A traditional player who did exceptionally well abroad (perhaps only the legendary Don Bradman did better than him in this respect); it is hard to find another with such longevity at the crease.

Though his achievements were most of the time shadowed by some other player’s brilliance in the match often; he stepped back with dignity and a rare sense of timing. And suddenly the cricketing world took notice and really felt the miss of a class player whose achievements will truly be appreciated in the days to come.

The Dream
His introduction was straight to the point and evoked that nostalgic feeling of being a young boy dreaming long and hard to be part of the Indian Playing XI. We are reminded of another great speaker General Douglas Mac Arthur’s words, “I am closing my fifty-two years of military service. When I joined the Army even before the turn of the century, it was the fulfilment of all my boyish hopes and dreams. The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the plain at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished . . .” The dream achieved for Rahul Dravid; he felt the need to move on rather than stay on till he became a liability to the team rather than its trusted Mr. Dependable.

The Journey
Again, Dravid in his introduction spoke not only about the dream he had like another great speaker Martin Luther King, but he also spoke about a journey so long and fulfilling. A wise man indeed is he who understands that life is not a permanent resting spot but a journey. And what was his motive in announcing his retirement? He had put in his very best and now he wanted another generation to take over. In other words he wanted his juniors to step in to be part of the journey and continue the dream further.

A Man with a Thankful Heart
Rahul Dravid’s speech is made memorable at this juncture as he also specifically spells out how the selectors, the coaches, his wife and family, and of course the teams he played with; mentored him and made him a better player and person. It shows the sincerity of his words and the greatness of his speech craft as well as the largeness of heart of a man who is genuinely grateful to all the shaping influences of his life.

But how lovingly he presented it all saying,

“No dream is ever chased alone. As I look back, as one does at such a time, I have many people to thank for supporting me, teaching me and believing in me.”

He also spoke of missing the joy of playing as a unit and of bonding together and striving to achieve a goal which made cricket special for him.

A Man Who Found His Place
Many people in life struggle because they fail to understand their roles in life. More importantly they fail to recognize how they fit into the whole and how responsibly they should play their role so that the entire unit of which they are a part does well. Rahul Dravid was gifted enough to know his role and he took great pride in being part of a unit which was rich in talent and impressive in its triumphs.

No other part of his speech perhaps reveals the greatness of this man who subdued his mastery of cricket and achievements within the framework of the team rather than presenting it as individual brilliance.

“In the Indian team, I was fortunate to be part of a wonderful era when India played some of its finest cricket at home and abroad. Many of my teammates have become legends, not just in India but in the wider cricketing world. I admired them, learnt from them and I leave the game with wonderful memories and strong friendships. It is a great gift to have.”

Family and Friends
Rahul Dravid was sure about the role of family and friends in his life. He reveals how to the core he is an ordinary human being as he talked of tough times in life and the encouragement needed to go on during such times.

He praised the role of his parents and brother and later his wife whom he valued as a “remarkable partner in the journey” who whenever challenges appeared was always there as a sounding board, an ally and guide. Our heart goes out to this cricketer when he talked about simple things in life as taking his sons to school. In these statements he endears himself to use more than he ever did as a cricketer.

The Final Bow
He closes his speech by saying how lucky and how privileged he was to play before us. And the final words of his speech has a ring of elegance, class, mastery of words, a fine sense of drama and memorableness.

“My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity, and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride.”

These words would stay in the hearts of millions of fans worldwide for long years to come. His philosophy is worthwhile to emulate: Give your best, conduct yourself with dignity rejoice in what was achieved, recognize that there were failures, and leave the sphere of activity with a sense of sadness at the parting when the moment comes; but for people like him, leave with a sense of pride.

A True Estimate
Rahul Dravid rates as a fine gentleman who truly was The Wall and Mr. Dependable of Indian Cricket Team. He was never given the recognition or praise he rightly deserved but was often given the role of playing the second fiddle. He never complained but made the best use of his opportunities. He was not a flamboyant player and might not have had a style that captured the eye or the imagination. But he was fiercely determined, totally committed and was a silent invaluable part of the team.

As often happens with truly greats another generation will come up to whom he has passed on the dream who will really see his achievements in true perspective and say that Rahul Dravid was second to none. He was in a class of his own!

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Tags: Cricket, Press Conference, Rahul Dravid, Retirement Speech, Speech Analysis