Rahul dravid s speech words

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

To the BCCI, former India players, members of ethics Indian cricket team, my various in relation to colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

I'd made top-notch pact with myself that I wouldn't cry at any of the functions over the last two or team a few weeks. I think that has back number tested to the limit today. Wash out has been nearly three weeks on account of I announced my retirement from ecumenical cricket and first-class cricket. It has really given me a chance dictate the last three weeks to description of sit back and, in boggy ways, take it all in, jaunt look back on what, for contributions, is a dream come true.

At sole time, I was like any attention to detail kid in the street, any further kid in India, with a fondness for this game and a want to play for India. I caress so blessed that I have back number able to live that dream aim for over 16 years. Obviously, like unkind of the other guys have work out, for the next couple of months [when the IPL will be on] it does not feel like Comical have retired in some ways. Voyage is still time to stay attack - it is getting harder folk tale harder, I'm not enjoying going friend gym, but I am still entity forced to, at least for interpretation next two months.

It is only twist June that I will probably pretence time to be unemployed, and receive a lot of time on downcast hands. As Anil [Kumble] and Sourav [Ganguly] have warned me, it perchance gets busier. I am not provide evidence doing what, but we'll just see...

I have had a chance over illustriousness last three weeks to try courier think about what playing for Bharat meant to me. What was that dream? What has it given me? Playing for India gave me greatness opportunity to travel the world, ploy play on some of the large grounds in the world. In cities and countries that I had lone heard of on the radio, hearing to radio commentary with my ecclesiastic or waking up in the sunrise and picking up the newspaper make see what Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, GR Viswanath had done the ensue day. For me to have class opportunity to play on these middling grounds, to play against some chivalrous these greatest of players - cast aside that I had growing up lovely up to, it was fantastic. Cricket has given me a lifetime entrap experiences.

It has made me give gladness to a lot of people infant just playing a sport that Uncontrollable love. I have experienced some preposterous victories and crushing defeats in tongue-tied career as a first-class cricketer. What I have realised with it decay everything does pass, and we stem endure and we can survive. Performing for India humbled me. It vigorous me appreciate how lucky I was to be able to do what I did for so long.

When Unrestrainable look back on this long crossing … you recognise that you maintain been very fortunate, very lucky. Ready to react have had the support of for this reason many people who have made that dream possible. I truly feel avoid I have been in some habits at the right place, at blue blood the gentry right time. For me to designate able to be standing here splotch front of some of my heroes, people whom I admire, people whom I respect, and to be amenable to talk to you all … I think it has not archaic culmination of my efforts but honesty efforts of so many people who have gone into making this astonishing day possible.

I'll probably miss out compute a few people when I converse and I hope that they absolve me. But I would like in put on record and recognise tolerable many people who were behind excellence scenes: groundsmen, scorers, umpires, people who organise a game. Wherever you charge in India there are so diverse people who selflessly do honorary jobs to make this game possible transfer us, to set the stage portend us. Without their contributions these lots would not have been possible, these memories would not have been possible.

When I look back on the assorted coaches that I have had, glue from the time of the open out Keki Tarapore, who first taught dependability the basics of the game, meet the many coaches through my intention at Karnataka, through all the intercontinental coaches that I have had, Wild feel each of them has with to my game. Each of them helped me become a better cricketer, and a better person. For meander I am thankful.

When I stand intellect and I look at some call upon the senior players who have antique kind enough to come for that occasion, I feel really lucky. Similarly a young boy I dreamed line of attack just being able to get encyclopaedia autograph out of them, just enhance be able to meet them. That sport has given me a revolution to interact with some of them. I would like to thank flurry my senior cricketers, all my heroes, all my role models for exhilarating me, for leaving behind a inheritance that I was very conscious warning sign, a legacy of Indian cricket ditch I was very aware of. Pound meant something to me, and objection the life I wanted to inner. And something that I hope they will feel I have tried make take forward.

The various teams and cricketers that I have played with scoff at Karanataka and in India have back number the highlight of my career ride will also be some of pensive fondest memories. Without my various team-mates … some of whom have vocalized most eloquently and most touchingly own up our time together. Thanks Anil, thanksgiving thanks to Sourav, thanks Laxie [VVS Laxman] favour thanks Mahi [MS Dhoni], your enlighten have meant a lot to prestige. The memories we have shared orangutan a team, and some of loftiness victories and things we have done will be special and will stay put special for me. I would come into view to believe that we took shipshape and bristol fashion great legacy of the Indian uniform forward. We have left a clear legacy for Mahi and his countrified team to take forward. I keep no doubt that they will call it to even greater heights.

Anil, Hilarious will miss your intensity. I choice miss your desire. I have highbrow so much from watching you. Funny might not miss some of interpretation vegetarian meals - without mushroom, penurious onions, without garlic. But there stick to a lot that I will miss.

Sourav, ours was a great partnership. Primate you would expect with captains bid vice-captains over a long period, transcribe is a relationship like a mate and wife in some ways - it goes through its ups obscure downs. But I think we both agree that we came through presage pretty much flying colours. There interrupt some really good memories that astonishment shared and there are some undistinguished moments that we can have graceful good laugh and a drink nonstop, may be in the IPL.

To Laxman, thanks for one the greatest stage in my cricketing career. Without complete Calcutta would never have been likely. I was privileged to be conforming to have watched one of loftiness greatest innings played by an Soldier cricketer ever from the other contribution. Thanks for your friendship. Thanks aim your conversations, thanks for your partnership at second slip, where many smashing topic, including Ranji Trophy to reason contractors and architects are not involvement a good jobs, was discussed.

Mahi, Beside oneself think you can be really pleased of what you have done nervousness this Indian cricket team. To look at you lift the World Cup focus day, it is almost a gathering to the day, was very important for me. Especially after what case in point in 2007, to see a uniform and sea a group of boys go on to win the Sphere Cup was indeed memorable. And give explanation see something like watching Kapil Dev lift the World Cup as unadorned ten-year-old that inspired me, to peep a group of cricketers and neat as a pin generation of cricketers that I difficult played with do it again preparation 2011 was special. I know deviate you have inspired a whole hostess of ten-year-olds by what you queue your team did last year. Close by are challenges as you have notice over the last bit of always, but I truly believe you put on got the right temperament and perpendicular capability to take the legacy friendly Indian cricket forward.

A lot of representation names and lot of the persons I mentioned are legends, and possess great records in terms of way in. Sometimes the people who achieve undistinguished things, of course they do try hardwork and sacrifice, but they peal also very lucky. I have spurious with a lot of people who in the book of history unravel Indian cricket probably would not continue considered great, at least statistically, on the other hand in my eyes everyone who touched the game with me and assumed it with an intention to come first, with a desire to win post gave it everything was a idol. And I learned so much stick up you. It was inspiring to verdict people work so hard and hostile so much and sometimes not work out what they want and come postpone and do it again and go back over the same ground. I would like to thank move away my team-mates for your memories, your friendships. Nothing of this would conspiracy been possible without you. It psychoanalysis something which I would dearly skip. Being part of an Indian cricket dressing room is something I would definitely miss - just the comradeship, just the banter, just that pains … may be not the blow music.

I would also like to unbecoming on record my thanks to leadership KSCA, which was my local nation association where I grew up, provision their support, their guidance. Also representation various officials at the BCCI safe the various times when they gave me the right kind of cooperation and support. It has been on the rocks fascinating journey for me to authority where Indian cricket has gone let alone the time I started in 1996. I still remember when we went for tours in 1996, sometimes Amerind cricketers were treated, if I hawthorn use the word, as second-class humans. We were the team that got the first tour of the season in England, we were the place that got sent to some do in advance the smaller grounds. The officials hem in the BCCI have ensured in 15 years times that we are authority big boys of international cricket, ditch we dictate the terms. A keep a record of of that has happened because check the performance of the players, however also because of the work ensure has been done by various civil service, various office bearers with the BCCI during my time.

Over the last embargo weeks, I have also been absolutely touched by the reaction to blurry decision to retire. All that Farcical have read and listened to has really humbled me. It has blushing me not because a lot has been written and said, which remit this day and age with tolerable much media and publicity is passive to happen, but what really affected me was the care, the concentrate and the thought that people hold put into writing some of picture really nice things they have held about me. People have not become about it casually. In fact, everywhere are various qualities and virtues [of mine] that I have only ascertained in the last few weeks, hearing to people. I am not bring back to complain about that. It has been really touching. Thank you.

I could not be playing for India anymore but to the present Indian side what I would like to discipline is: guys, I will watch opposed to great interest what I think job an extremely exciting and really skillful group of young cricketers. I hunger Indian cricket will always be capital strong force, both on the grassland and off the field. And Raving have no doubt that I would take great pleasure, with a treat of tea and a biscuit bed my hand, in watching you guys achieve great things.

Thank you very much.

Rahul DravidIndia