Rahul Dravid is NOT retiring

There has been a rumor in the air that Rahul Dravid is thinking about retirement from Test cricket. It is NOT TRUE!
Today, talking to Sydney Herald, Rahul Dravid said that he has not yet given a thought to retirement from test cricket.
"I am definitely nearer the end than the beginning, there is no doubt about that. I haven't made any decision and there is no need to make any decisions now, we're not playing another Test match for seven to eight months so we'll see how it pans out.
At my stage in my career it's always about taking it a series at a time and not looking too far ahead, so we'll see what happens,".
He emphasized the importance of India being a strong and passionate Test nation for the benefit of world cricket.
"We haven't done so well abroad over the last couple of series but I'm hopeful that some of the young kids will come through, it might take a bit of time but we'll build up a strong base. India needs to be a strong Test playing nation, there are not too many countries playing cricket and if India is competitive in Test cricket it does make a difference. There are areas we need to improve, especially in these challenging times, but I am hopeful,".

Rahul Dravid turns 39

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Dravid was asked if he had any plans to celebrate his 39th birthday. Nothing, he said. Just practise and sleep. Did the number 39 scare him? "Any number scares you after 30," he said and laughed. "Actually, 40. I'll be scared of that number." And then he went back to practising. 
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Happy Birthday Rahul!

One of the finest speeches : Just another reason to respect Rahul Dravid!

You can watch the full speech here:
youtube.com/watch?v=qr4bK63WxXY

Let me tell you - It's worth watching! It will tell you what Rahul Dravid is as an Indian, as a person and as a cricketer.

"It’s a great feeling when you know you have shared in the success of somebody else" - Rahul Dravid

Source: firstpost dot com
In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN‘s sports editor Gaurav Kalra, Rahul Dravid talks about what keeps him ticking in test cricket after 15 years of playing the game, his records and India’s upcoming four-match test series against Australia.

On his goals for the Australia test
“Nothing in terms of my own statistics there. I want to win a test series in Australia…try and help win a test series in Australia — something we have never done,” says Dravid. “Everytime we go and travel there that’s going to be our goal and its not easy but the goal is to try and win a series.”
Dravid says that Australia has long been the benchmark for the game and are still a good side, “So it would be special to go and do well there.”

Comparing his present form to his form in 2003 at Aldelaide
Dravid had scored 233 against Australia in 2003 and finds himself confident going into this series. “I’ve go some runs behind me and even though runs behind me doesn’t translate into runs in the future, it definitely means you go there in a good space. I’m pretty confident. Hitting the ball well. And, I feel relaxed.”
The first test will be held in Melbourne on 26 December.

On the numbers that follow him
The perpetually modest Dravid who has in his 15 years of test cricket notched up 37 test hundreds and 13,000 test runs doesn’t make a big deal about his records. Instead he jokes about it saying, ”What they tell you, is that I have been around a long time,”
He says that if one is consistent over a period of time, plays as long as he has and manages to stay fit, one can get the numbers.
Dravid says that growing up as a kid playing cricket and having watched Sunil Gavaskar get his 10,000th run has been fodder for his career. “It is those moments and memories that your careers are built,” he says. “It’s those memories that stay with you, that give you ambitions for the future”.
He says he don’t look at the numbers anymore, instead, his memories and ambitions are more the team’s numbers. “There’s a point of time in your career when you stop looking at the numbers…You wouldn’t mind scoring 500 or a 1,000 runs less, if you could win a series in Australia,” he says. ”The greatest memories for me now are not necessarily the statistics or the no of runs, its moments — those magic moments. …the series wins, the test wins,” he says.

On being the oldest active test cricketer in the world
Just like his many stints on the wicket where he has stuck along stubbornly, Rahul Dravid has stuck to playing test cricket as resolutely. Dravid is the oldest active test cricketer in the world and while it does speak volumes about his work ethic, discipline and desire to be successful in tests for such a long time, he is modest as usual about his achievement.
Without an iota of credit for himself, Dravid says that his longevity indicates “that fitness levels, the access that we have these days to fitness trainers and sports science has improved tremendously since I started.”

On catches and what makes them special
Dravid acknowledges that he is really proud of his 200 catches in the slips because of all the hardwork he has put into it since taking up cricket and playing for home state Karnataka. But it’s not just about the number of catches for him. He loves the camaraderie and team spirit feeling that catches evoke.
“I know the number of hours I have put in and number of catches I have taken till my hands were literally sore,” he says. But, he loves taking catches because it gives one a feeling of sharing in the success of the team.
He says it even betters the feeling of having scored a ton. “You know when you get a 100 you share it with your partner…But you know when you take a catch, you get to share that with your team mates instantly. And that’s a lovely feeling,” Dravid says, adding, “It’s a great feeling when you know you have shared in the success of somebody else.”