Cricket is a gentleman’s game. The sportsmanship spirit lies at the apex of the game. Cricketers are role models. They are global icons who take the game above and beyond the 22 yards. Indian cricketers especially are a revered lot. It takes a lot out of them to play the way they are expected to play. They not just fight hard on the field but play it nice and fair as well. There have been quite a few iconic instances when Indian cricketers helped the game with their gestures towards the opponents.
StumpsandBails looks at 5 such instances where Indian cricketers extended a sporting gesture towards the opposition:
#5 Rahul Dravid went to Younis Khan’s room to help him
Rahul Dravid and Younis Khan are two bonafide cricketing legends. They are arguably the best Test batsmen of their countries respectively. In a media interaction, Younis Khan shared a very interesting anecdote about Rahul Dravid. Khan stated that during Champions Trophy 2004, he had asked 5 mins from Rahul Dravid to course-correct his game. Dravid replied affirmatively and went to Khan’s room to offer some advice.
It was a brief 5-minute interaction that Khan claims changed his life. He was quoted saying, “The learning should not stop. I went to Rahul Dravid in the 2004 Champions Trophy in Birmingham and I asked for 5 minutes but Dravid himself came to me and I was a junior player. I asked him a few questions and I took them ahead and it changed my cricket.” We can’t stop gushing about how wonderful a human being Rahul Dravid is.
#4 MS Dhoni asking Bangladesh to correct their field in a warmup game:
MS Dhoni is one of the sharpest cricketing minds in the game. In a warmup game in the 2019 ODI World Cup, Dhoni extended his tactical smartness for the opposition as well. Dhoni was batting against Bangladesh and this incident happened in the 40th over. The former Indian captain, Dhoni asked the Bangladeshi team to get their field placement right. The Bangla tigers duly obliged. It was a rare cricketing sight!
#3 Mandeep Singh played as a substitute for South Africa A
If you think how on earth is this possible? Let us answer your question straight away. Mandeep Singh played for South Africa A as a substitute in 2015. He had to field owing to the absence of four South African A players who were down with a stomach bug. Hence Mandeep had to chip in as one of the fielders. India A cruised to an 8-wicket win in that game. But the fact that an Indian cricketer in waiting didn’t make any bones playing as a substitute for an opposition stood out beautifully. Indian Cricketers Helped Opponents
#2 Rahul Dravid agreeing to play for Scotland:
The Scotland cricket team had asked the Indian management for a player exchange program post the 2003 World Cup. John Wright, the then Indian coach asked Rahul Dravid whether he will be able to take up the offer. Dravid readily agreed to play for Scotland. In 2003 he represented Scotland in 11 games scoring more than 600 runs. Dravid’s experience enriched the Scotland team. It was a beautiful gesture from India’s Mr. Dependable.
#1 Sachin Tendulkar fielded for Pakistan before wearing the India cap
Sachin Tendulkar in 1987 fielded for Pakistan in an exhibition match against India at the Brabourne Stadium. Two Pakistan players, Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir had gone off the field, and Tendulkar was called in as a substitute. Tendulkar readily obliged the request. The little genius later went on to torment oppositions with his skill and talent.
