Dravid Speech
Rahul Dravid Speech – Sir Donald Bradman Oration Thank you for inviting me to deliver the Bradman Oration; the respect and the regard that came with the invitation to speak tonight, is deeply appreciated.
I realise a very distinguished list of gentlemen have preceded me in the ten years that the Bradman Oration has been held.
I know that this Oration is held every year to appreciate the life and career of Sir Don Bradman, a great Australian and a great cricketer.
I understand that I am supposed to speak about cricket and issues in the game – and I will.
Yet, but first before all else, I must say that I find myself humbled by the venue we find ourselves in.
Even though there is neither a pitch in sight, nor stumps or bat and balls, as a cricketer, I feel I stand on very sacred ground tonight.
When I was told that I would be speaking at the National War Memorial, I thought of how often and how meaninglessly, the words 'war', 'battle', 'fight' are used to describe cricket matches.
Yes, we cricketers devote the better part of our adult lives to being prepared to perform for our countries, to persist and compete as intensely as we can – and more.
This building, however, recognises the men and women who lived out the words – war, battle, fight - for real and then gave it all up for their country, their lives left incomplete, futures extinguished.
The people of both our countries are often told that cricket is the one thing that brings Indians and Australians together.
That cricket is our single common denominator. India's first Test series as a free country was played against Australia in November 1947, three months after our independence.
Yet the histories of our countries are linked together far more deeply than we think and further back in time than 1947.
We share something else other than cricket. Before they played the first Test match against each other, Indians and Australians fought wars together, on the same side.
In Gallipoli,
I realise a very distinguished list of gentlemen have preceded me in the ten years that the Bradman Oration has been held.
I know that this Oration is held every year to appreciate the life and career of Sir Don Bradman, a great Australian and a great cricketer.
I understand that I am supposed to speak about cricket and issues in the game – and I will.
Yet, but first before all else, I must say that I find myself humbled by the venue we find ourselves in.
Even though there is neither a pitch in sight, nor stumps or bat and balls, as a cricketer, I feel I stand on very sacred ground tonight.
When I was told that I would be speaking at the National War Memorial, I thought of how often and how meaninglessly, the words 'war', 'battle', 'fight' are used to describe cricket matches.
Yes, we cricketers devote the better part of our adult lives to being prepared to perform for our countries, to persist and compete as intensely as we can – and more.
This building, however, recognises the men and women who lived out the words – war, battle, fight - for real and then gave it all up for their country, their lives left incomplete, futures extinguished.
The people of both our countries are often told that cricket is the one thing that brings Indians and Australians together.
That cricket is our single common denominator. India's first Test series as a free country was played against Australia in November 1947, three months after our independence.
Yet the histories of our countries are linked together far more deeply than we think and further back in time than 1947.
We share something else other than cricket. Before they played the first Test match against each other, Indians and Australians fought wars together, on the same side.
In Gallipoli,