Rahul Dravid's IPL Affection: A Tale of Loyalty and Strategy
Rahul Dravid, one of the marquee players in the 2011 IPL mega auction, went under the hammer for a base price of USD 400,000. Surprisingly, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Dravid's franchise for the initial three years of IPL, opted not to bid for him. The indifference of team owner, Vijay Mallya, and team mentor, Anil Kumble, suggested that Dravid might go unsold in his hometown auction. Yet, Rajasthan Royals stepped in and secured the cricket legend for a bid of USD 500,00.
The final price was considerably lower than his past record of USD 1,035,000. However, the Rajasthan Royals saved Dravid the awkwardness of going unsold. While Dravid's competence as a batsman is undeniable, the dynamics of the IPL auction required him to accept the new face of Indian cricket. Since then, a robust bond has developed between the Rajasthan Royals management and Rahul Dravid.
The fictional godfather, Vito Corleone's famous saying is that time erodes gratitude faster than beauty. However, Dravid, the former India coach, is an exception to that rule. His impressive track record of guiding India through two successful World Cup campaigns placed him high on the list of sought-after coaches in the IPL. However, his loyalty towards the Royals, who offered him a lifeline in the 2011 auction, has remained steadfast. Stories of Dravid's loyalty are legendary; he is known to have turned down lucrative offers, even those offering blank cheques.
Dravid has always valued commitment over price. Another illustrative incident is when he was approached by India Cements for the local league. Though he had a bank balance of INR 80,000, he requested only INR 40,000 to buy a Maruti 800, leaving the remaining choice to India Cements management.
As a captain and later coach of the Rajasthan Royals, Dravid has demonstrated foresight and strategy. The Rajasthan Royals' analytics-driven approach and innovative player match-ups became evident under his direction from 2012 to 2015, well before it became a trend in the IPL ecosystem.
