NEW DELHI: Whenever the discussion turns to the most technically sound batters in world cricket, former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid's name inevitably comes up. So, when he shares insights on balance at the crease and explains why shorter players often hold an advantage, his words carry immense weight.
Dravid reckoned that Sunil Gavaskar's batting stood out to him because of the sheer balance and stillness at the crease. Since he was taller, he couldn't copy Gavaskar's technique directly.
"Gavaskar was a beautifully balanced player. I always remember, he always seemed to. There was a stillness when he stood, which is what I admired. I was always slightly taller, so I didn't copy anything. I just stood in a way that made me feel uncomfortable," Dravid said on the Haal Chaal Aur Sawaal podcast with Ashish Kaushik.
Dravid also cited examples of shorter batters like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, and Sir Donald Bradman, noting how they always looked more balanced at the crease. He even described Virat Kohli as "shortish," joking that the former India captain might not appreciate the remark.
"Tendulkar again was very balanced. Shorter people have the advantage of looking more balanced because the centre of gravity is lower. That's what they say. A lot of great batters over the years have been shorter people. Look at Gavaskar, or Tendulkar or a [Brian] Lara or a [Ricky] Ponting... going back to [Donald] Bradman. Kohli is short-ish. Virat Kohli might not like me calling him shortish, though," he added.
"But today, as the game is changing and becoming a lot about power and hitting sixes, the reach of the taller guys is becoming an advantage. Physics will tell you. Kevin Pietersen, Kieron Pollard. Look at the guys who are batting these days, in T20s especially," Dravid concluded.
