The walls are closing in

A lot changed for Rahul Dravid between his two international outings in Chennai this year.

A lot changed for Rahul Dravid between his two international outings in Chennai this year. In March, after the run-heavy drawn Test against South Africa, he left the city as a man who had made peace with himself. With the first ton after leaving captaincy, Dravid’s decision to concentrate on his batting without the burden of leadership suddenly started seeming prudent after the knock. The first three-digit score in 21 months against a top Test side was the kind of reassurance the 35-year-old had needed in a year when two of his long-standing mates were set to retire.

Now a few months older and in the middle of the worst slump of his career, Dravid this time leaves Chennai with scores of 4 and 3, and there are many who are saying this is nothing but that inevitable countdown signalling the end of a glorious cricketing career. Since the present squad has been picked for two Tests, the national selectors are out of the picture when it comes to taking the big decision on Dravid, but there is bound to be some talk within the team management before penning his name down in the XI at Mohali.

In the two knocks in Chennai, Dravid was tentative with his footwork and unsure about the line and length of the ball. In the first innings he was beaten by turn, and in the second by pace. On both occasions he wasn’t out playing a shot. In the past, lots of players have tried to hit out of slumps but Dravid, as was expected from someone as meticulous as him, has opted to take the defensive route. He isn’t hurried in the middle, but he is hesitant. His lbw to Graeme Swann, and his edge off Andrew Flintoff were both examples of a muddled mind caught in indecision.

From bad to worse

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These dismissals sum up the Dravid of March to December, 2008. Just after that 111 against South Africa, he had travelled to Ahmedabad and got the ball of the series as Dale Steyn knocked his off stump. Next he found himself on a treacherous Kanpur track, where a vicious delivery suddenly jumped at him. The Indian Premier League (IPL) experience also proved to be an ordeal as poor form and the short-on-patience owners’ outburst over auction-day decisions gave Dravid the kind of pressure he was so keen to avoid.

The tour to Sri Lanka that followed proved to be a trip where ‘the phasing out the seniors’ debate reached a fever pitch. Since Dravid got out to the story of the tour, Ajantha Mendis, thrice in the first two Tests, after a long time the focus was on the failure of a batsman known for his flawless technique. In the final game of the tour, Dravid did manage to read Mendis, but it was too late from the perspective of the series.

The subsequent series against Australia too started well for Dravid, with a half-century. But that proved to be the only thing that went his way in the four Tests, and with Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble bowing out, Dravid’s slump came sharply into focus. ‘The Wall crumbles’ became the most clichéd headline doing the rounds.

Unlike Sri Lanka, where Mendis had his number, the list of Australian bowlers who got Dravid’s wicket included medium-pacer Shane Watson, paceman Brett Lee, left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson and off-spinner Jason Krejza.

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Last week it was being said that the seemingly harmless England team might be the perfect opposition for Dravid to get his form back. But now that he’s failed again, Dravid will have several thoughts for company on his trip to Mohali.

It’s a venue where he got a first feel of Test leadership, being stand-in captain for the injured Sourav Ganguly. But times have changed, and if Dravid can’t bat out of his troubles, India could start shopping for a long-term No. 3 batsman as early as next week.