The 39-year-old, at a felicitation ceremony organised in his honour by the Board of Control for India (BCCI) said the three weeks since he announced his retirement gave him time to turn the clock back and asses his 16-year journey in cricket. " At one time, I was just another kid with a desire to play for India. I feel blessed now that I have lived the dream for over 16 years," he said.
Playing for India, according to Dravid, meant his dreams and passions unfolding in a constant flurry. "I have had great wins and crushing defeats. I have learnt we can endure and we can survive. It humbled me. Cricket allowed me to play on great grounds of which I had only heard of on the radio with my father," he said adding that without the support of people, he would not have managed to reach where he finally did.
Dravid also chose to reflect on the journey of Indian cricket. "It has been a fascinating journey for me to see where Indian cricket has reached today since I made my debut in 1996. Earlier, whenever we toured we were treated as second class citizens. We were the first to tour England in summer, we only played in smaller grounds. But in 15 years BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) have ensured that we are the big boys of world cricket. And it was possible due to the performance of the Indian team," he said.
With IANS inputs
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