A Biography of Rahul Dravid : The Nice Guy Who Finished First

Contents: Preface. 1. Taking guard. 2. Hero at headquarters. 3. Wasim, Waqar and white lightning. 4. Branded. 5. Back to the forefront. 6. On the roller-coaster. 7. Kent and the Coliseum. 8. One for a crisis. 9. The Great quartet. 10. All-rounder. 11. Redemption and immortality. 12. Runs n' Reins. 13. In a class of his own. 14. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. 15. Postscript: the Tri-series in Sri Lanka, 2005. Acknowledgements. Rahul Dravid factfile. Bibliography and references. Index.

"The Nice Guy Who Finished First is a remarkable story of Rahul Dravid's illustrious career in International Cricket that commenced in 1996 and continues to flourish nine years later.

It tells the tale of a young man who has succeeded in his chosen profession through an ardent faith in the three 'D's of dedication, discipline and determination.

The biography reconstructs the incidents and events that have contributed to making Rahul Dravid one of the greatest cricketers to have played the game, and an epitome of grace, humility and commitment to his team's cause. It is a tribute to a role model who has refused to rest on his laurels, and remains as intense in his quest for perfection as he was when he started out.

Rahul Dravid's moments of triumph are described, as also his trials and tribulations. The book narrates the epic battle, one that he eventually won, to break free of the stereotypes that haunted him in his early years at the international level. His efforts to emerge from the intimidating shadows cast by his teammates and contemporaries are illustrated in great detail. The book highlights the physical, mental and of course, technical attributes that have elevated Rahul to legendary status.

In this honest endeavour to recount the story of Rahul Dravid, the author is assisted by reminiscences from his mentors, seniors, teammates and even opponents, all of whom witnessed the making of a cricketing legend from close quarters. Then, there are the photographs, some of the best ever, which showcase, quite literally, the genius of one of India's all-time greats.

It is an engaging, absorbing and succinct read." (jacket)