'Test performances mean much more'

INDIAN CRICKETERS who have grown up watching Sunil Gavaskar bat will never forget the moment when the maestro became the first batsman in the history of Test cricket to break the 10,000-run barrier in March 1987.

Even though the next generation of cricketers will grow up being fed on the images of India's World Twenty20 triumph, there will be some who will not be able to forget Saturday's action at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium when Rahul Dravid, after scoring his 80th run, became the sixth batsman to join the 10,000-club.

"I can still recollect watching on television the image of Gavaskar late cutting in Ahmedabad and raising his bat for his 10,000," an emotional Dravid said. "I never had an ambition to do it, because I never believed I could do so. As a kid, I didn't have the self-belief."

So how special was the moment for him? "It is a proud moment. When I look back, I probably exceeded my expectations with what I have done over the last 10-12 years. I can look back and reflect that I maximised my potential over these years."

Dravid was also delighted to achieve the feat in the company of teammates who have been around since he made his debut. "It is great for a generation of cricketers who have played a lot of their cricket together. I remarked to Sourav when I was batting with him that I got my first run with you and you were at the other end when I got my 10,000. There have been five, six of us who have been together and all of them are reaching significant milestones."

After being asked to take on various responsibilities from batting lower down the order to keeping the wickets, are 10,000 runs in one-dayers more special?
"Getting 10,000 runs in one-dayers was special. It wasn't really about other people's perceptions, just the challenges I had to face in myself," he said.

"Starting out as a particular kind of player and adapting to the one-day game, batting in different positions, learning the one-day skills. I had to change, do different things. That gave me a lot of satisfaction.

"Test cricket is much tougher in the end. You look back on that and you recognise they are the toughest ones to get. You will always cherish your Test performances a bit more than the one-day ones. You know the 10,000 you got in Test cricket have probably been a bit more tougher."

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