A gentleman cricketer….

A gentleman and a cricketer....

Yes, India have been comprehensively humbled by England during the current test series and, yes, some of the England team have produced memorable performances.  However, my man of the series has to be an Indian player.  It’s easy to perform when you’re surrounded by motivated players who are at the top of their game but to shine while all around you team mates give every impression of wanting to be almost anywhere else takes a rare talent and steely determination.  Rahul Dravid is such a man and his bloody-minded refusal to buckle while his team showed all the resilience of a chocolate fireguard has been one of the most uplifting sporting moments of the summer.  With the series already lost, his unbeaten 146 at the Oval was a chanceless masterclass, full of dancing footwork, delicious late, late cuts and off-drives that were more Zorro than Geoffrey Boycott.  The fact that he is coming to the end of an illustrious career should cause much gnashing of teeth in India, even more maybe than the imminent retirement of Tendulkar.  India need The Wall.