There's a story whispered amongst the halls of St. Joseph's College, a tale of a young Rahul Dravid and an unusual dedication to his craft. Picture this: a commerce student, more passionate about cricket than textbooks, days away from his Ranji debut. Gifted a brand-new pair of gloves, he decides to break them in during a pre-Ranji match. Fate, however, had other plans.
A seemingly innocuous delivery, a near-miss, a faint sound... and Dravid is given out, caught behind. The culprit? The unfamiliar gloves, their pristine leather squeaking against the ball. Disappointment washes over him, but instead of dwelling on the setback, he hatches an unconventional plan.
For the next four days, the gloves become an extension of his being. In class, at meals, even in sleep, they remain on. Fellow students whisper, assuming it's an act of youthful bravado. A girl, curious, asks why. His reply is simple: the gloves need to absorb sweat, to become an extension of his hand, not a hindrance.
Four days later, the gloves come off, revealing a rashy, swollen hand - a testament to his commitment. But it pays off. In his Ranji debut, he scores a magnificent 82, followed by two centuries.
It's a quirky tale, but it encapsulates Dravid's essence: quiet determination, an unwavering work ethic, and an ability to turn adversity into triumph. It's a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary stories are born from the most ordinary of objects - like a simple pair of gloves.
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