Some players appeared to work against Rahul Dravid

Former India coach Greg Chappell has ignited a fresh controversy in his newly-released book on Rahul Dravid, saying had the retired batting great received the same support that he gave other captains, he would have been the country's most successful skipper. Chappell wrote that despite

Dravid guiding the Indian team to a number of victories, his success was not enjoyed by some of the members of the side.
"Sadly the success of the team was not universally enjoyed within the team. Some individuals felt threatened by the new world order and appeared to work against Rahul," Chappell has written in his book Rahul Dravid - Timeless Steel, which was launched in Mumbai on Wednesday.


"Had he been given the same wholehearted support in the role that he had given others, I think the recent history of Indian cricket may have been very different and he could have gone on to become the most successful Indian captain ever," he added.

The former Australian skipper recalled how Dravid led India to nine ODI wins in a row by inserting the opposition after winning the toss, regardless of the conditions, and then went on to pilot the team to a world record of 17 consecutive wins batting second.

"To learn how to get better at chasing a target, Rahul kept asking the opposition to bat first, no matter the conditions. Under his leadership, India won nine ODIs in a row against Pakistan and England, and went on to complete a world record of 17 consecutive wins batting second."

Stating that the same approach had helped India win Test matches abroad as well, Chappell wrote, "A similar approach to Test cricket brought about India's first overseas victory in the West Indies for 35 years and a first-ever Test victory in South Africa, which could have been turned into a series win if the team had batted better in the second innings in the final Test in Cape Town."

Chappell's reference is to India's Test series victory (1-0 in the four-match series) in the Caribbean in 2006 followed by its maiden win in Johannesburg's opening Test of the 2006-07 series, before Dravid's team lost the next two games and the rubber to the Proteas.

Timeless Steel- Rahul Dravid

Titled “Timeless Steel”, the 256-page book portrays a cricketer who embodies the finest tradition and values of the game, and a human being who impressed the numerous people he came in contact with during his amazing cricketing journey.

Legendary cricketer Rahul Dravid, together with Sanjay Manjrekar and Harsha Bhogle today launched a collection of stories about Dravid’s amazing playing and Test career in Mumbai.

Titled “Timeless Steel”, the 256-page book portrays a cricketer who embodies the finest tradition and values of the game, and a human being who impressed the numerous people he came in contact with during his amazing cricketing journey. Rahul Dravid was the lynchpin of India’s Test batting through the 2000s, combining technical virtuosity with legendary work ethic.  He epitomized an old-school guts-before-glory approach in an age increasingly defined by flashy stroke play and low attention spans.

“Disney Publishing has a long tradition of telling great stories and it is a pleasure to be launching this book on Rahul Dravid, together with ESPNcricinfo. “Timeless Steel”, is a celebration of a truly gifted cricketer and an Indian legend of sport,” said Roshini Bakshi, managing director, Consumer Products, Publishing and Retail, Disney UTV. “At Disney, we are always excited to bring such amazing content that is locally relevant, truly loved by our fans and something that transcends across ages,” she added.

“I love reading books, especially books on sports other than cricket,” said Dravid. “I found it helped me gain a good understanding of the mindset of other athletes,” he added.

“Rahul Dravid is that rarest combination in sports: a champion athlete and a gem of a man. Timeless Steel is as much a tribute to the cricketer who underpinned Indian cricket’s golden age as to the man who brought dignity and grace to the game. Cricket is the most literary of sports and this book, ESPNcricinfo’s second in as many years, reinforces our commitment to showcase the best cricket literature,” said Sambit Bal, Editor, ESPNcricinfo and Author of Timeless Steel.

Backed with eye-catching photographs that reflect the man and the cricketer, “Timeless Steel” features many contributions. Ed Smith, who once shared a dressing room with Dravid, describes the gentleman that Rahul is while Greg Chappell remembers the India captain that he worked with. Sanjay Bangar relives the splendor of Headingley 2002 while Mukul Kesavan analyses how Dravid’s techniques allows for more style than one might assume. Sidharth Monga scrutinizes Dravid’s captaincy while Rohit Brijnath looks back at the twin peaks of Adelaide 2003. Adding sheen to this book is Vijeeta Dravid’s close-up account of her perfectionist husband.

Priced at INR 599/-, Rahul Dravid fans can pick up their copy of “Timeless Steel” from the nearest shopping destinations including Landmark, Crossword, Reliance TimeOut and also online at www.flipkart.com; www.indiaplaza.com and www.homeshop18.com

So go get your copy now!

“Timeless Steel” Contributors: Sambit Bal, Mukul Kesavan, Suresh Menon, Sanjay Manjrekar, Aakash Chopra, Sidharth Monga, John Wright, Ed Smith, Greg Chappell, Suresh Raina, Jason Gillespie, Sanjay Bangar, Rohit Brijnath, Rahul Bhattacharya, Siddhartha Vaidyanathan, Sharda Ugra, Gideon Haigh, Jarrod Kimber, Samir Chopra and Fazal Khaleel.