Sunil Gavaskar (1.65 meters) and Sachin Tendulkar (1.65 meters). What is the one common thing? They are a touch on the shorter side in terms of height. And former Indian Head Coach and the prolific run-scorer for India, Rahul Dravid, points out that because of the shorter heights, a few batters get a greater advantage amongst others. Dravid himself, who was 1.8 meters, said the way he stood made him feel “uncomfortable.”
“Gavaskar was a beautifully balanced player,” Dravid said on the Haal Chaal Aur Sawaal podcast with Ashish Kaushik. “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. 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 Lara or a (Ricky) Ponting… going back to Bradman. Kohli is shortish. Virat Kohli might not like me calling him shortish, though,” Dravid observed.
However, Dravid, despite having a disadvantage of being taller, still managed to have a prolific record in his international career in the longer format of the game. From 164 Tests, he managed to amass 13,288 runs at an average of 52.31 with 36 tons next to his name and 63 half-centuries, and is the fifth-highest run-getter in the format.
Although in his time it was not an advantage because of the rise in T20 cricket, Dravid feels being tall gives a batter considerable advantage. “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,” he added.
