Kolkata 2001. Kandy 2001. Leeds 2002. Adelaide 2003. Rawalpindi 2004. And now Kingston 2006.

All those who follow Indian cricket and pray fervently for the success of the national team will never forget these cities, which in the new millennium have witnessed six of the most stirring wins in the history of Indian cricket. Interestingly, all six victories have something, or rather someone, in common - the run-hunger of Rahul Sharad Dravid, undisputedly India's greatest batting match-winner of all time. He averages a staggering 98 in all the wins that his team has registered on foreign soil since his Test debut. It is a statistic that speaks for itself.

India's 49-run triumph at Kingston's Sabina Park will be remembered as much for the unpredictable wicket, as for Dravid's extraordinary batsmanship in both innings. To say that the captain of India was the biggest difference between the two teams is a monumental understatement. With scores of 81 and 68 in a low-scoring game, Dravid guided his team to its first series win in the West Indies since 1971.

Many a pundit had stated at the time of Dravid's elevation to the captaincy that he had the potential to become India's best-ever leader. He did get off to a flying start in the one-day game, but seemed to falter in the traditional version. The loss in the Karachi Test despite having Pakistan reeling at 0-3 in the first over of the game, will surely rankle the man, as will the defeat by a depleted England team at Mumbai earlier this year. The victory at Kingston is a shot in the arm to an individual who genuinely believes that his team is endowed with the talent and temperament to achieve 'world-beater' status.

Dravid's two knocks in the Kingston Test were, to use one word, flawless. Youngsters in India who want to become cricketers will never quite appreciate how fortunate they are to have someone like Dravid as a role model. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can get going on a friendly wicket on which the ball is coming on to the bat, but it is only quality players who can consistently succeed in not-so-friendly conditions. Dravid is one of the few batsmen who seem to relish adversity.

Had the Indian captain fallen early in either of the two innings, his counterpart would have been the one accepting the winners' trophy and cheque. While Dravid was as always, the epitome of resilience and resolution, his opposite number did not quite delight his fans with his behaviour on the third day. His anger, a consequence of the selectors' reluctance to give him the team he wanted and the Kingston groundstaff's failure to produce a pitch that would have suited his fast bowlers, was as palpable as it was understandable. It is one of cricket's unwritten rules that pitches are prepared in accordance with the strengths and wishes of the home team. As it turned out, the Kingston pitch ended up being more conducive to Messrs Harbhajan Singh (five wickets in the first innings) and Anil Kumble (six in the second innings) than the Windies quickies. However, the West Indies captain's gesture, wherein he looked at the groundsman and 'clapped' after a Harbhajan delivery had spun right across him, was entirely uncalled for. He could have aired his grievances privately. Watchers got the distinct impression that morale wasn't exactly sky-high in the West Indies dressing-room, and undoubtedly Dravid and his team would have taken cognizance of the same.

Lara then went several steps ahead when he attacked the selectors and groundstaff at the end of the game and threatened to resign. The losing captain's outburst wasn't in very good taste, and it certainly came across as a case of sour grapes. The bottomline is that the wicket was the same for both teams. While Dravid put his head down and accumulated invaluable runs for his team, Lara didn't, and paid the price.

Congratulations, Team India!

 

- By Devendra Prabhudesai