Rashid Latif Hails 'The Wall' Of Indian Cricket; Underlines The Reason Behind The Name

Former Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid has to be one of the very few batsmen, who most experts would pick to bat for life. The Karnataka batsman boasted of a solid front-foot defence, which was most under focus more than his good run-scoring shots. At number three in Tests, Rahul Dravid used to weather the storm perfectly and eke out the advantage for new-ball bowlers. In his latest Youtube video, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif heaped praises on him.

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Rahul Dravid’s defence was one of the best in the world, capable of standing up to any kind of conditions. Having made his debut in 1996, the Wall of Indian cricket went on to play in 344 ODIs and 164 Tests, piling up over 24000 runs. The 47-year old also held the captaincy for a brief period, boasting of leading India to their first Test series in England in 2007 after 22 years.

Meanwhile, Rashid Latif believes that when it comes to performing under pressure, no one was as good as Rahul Dravid as he possesses the required technique and temperament. Rashid Latif reckoned that like many cricketers, Dravid remained under the shadow of Sachin Tendulkar. The former Pakistan skipper went on to suggest that the right-handed batsman was exceptionally reliable and was a safety net due to which he got the name “The Wall”.

“When it comes to technique and performing under pressure, Rahul Dravid was one step ahead of all those who have represented India. Like I had mentioned in case of Sehwag, Dravid also played under the shadows of Tendulkar. Tendulkar had a lot of confidence in him to attack from the beginning,” the 51-year old said as quoted by Hindustan times.

This is not to suggest that Dravid didn’t have that but he used to play a different role. When India lost a couple of early wickets, he was the main man, that’s why he was called the Wall. If you look at the partnerships then you will find Dravid’s name a lot of times with Tendulkar, Sehwag and Ganguly,” he said. 

I mean name me a place where he hasn’t scored runs: Rashid Latif

The Karachi-born former cricketer further said that Dravid was a colossus in all the conditions, including Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England, and the sub-continent. Even after retiring, the 47-year old has dedicated himself in grooming the next generation of Indian batsmen.

“I mean name me a place where he hasn’t scored runs. He scored against Pakistan. He was good in Australia, South Africa, West Indies, England everywhere.” Rashid Latif added.

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