The Wall 038; The Waller

THEY are an odd couple whose career paths have shown a definite pattern of obvious differences punctuated by striking similarities on debut, for instance, they were both out in the 90s. A decade on, they have outlasted the flashy, more obviously attractive brilliance of Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar to be effectively the two best batsmen in the world today.

The ICC rankings offer a slightly different picture 8212; Ponting is No 1, Dravid No 5 8212; but in terms of their batting averages, Dravid is just behind the Australian. And the form: Ponting scored his seventh century in eight Tests in Durban last week, Dravid seems to be scoring them at will.

Statistically speaking, they are identical twins 8212; 100-plus Tests, more than 8,500 runs, a Test average above 57. The disparity in Test centuries 8212; Ponting has eight more than Dravid 8212; is offset, to a point, by the Indian8217;s nine more 50s. The Aussie has a higher strike rate but Dravid has hit about 100 more fours than Ponting.

Also, both have had mixed captaincy records after inheriting the mantle from charismatic, colourful predecessors, and both are dealing with teams in transition.

But if they are statistical twins, they are completely disparate in their approach to the game and life in general.

Ponting is by far the more colourful of the two, with more run-ins with authority than Dravid can ever imagine. As a 17-year-old at the Australian Cricket Academy, where Rodney Marsh called him 8216;the most talented player he has ever seen8217;, the young Ponting would first go through horse racing odds before the cricket scores. This habit saw his camp buddy Shane Warne give him the nickname Punter, which has stuck to him even as the captain of the Baggy Greens.

The habit took a serious turn at the time of the match-fixing scandal, when his name was whispered 8212; but never officially linked to 8212; in the same breath as 8216;MK8217; and Cassim Banjo. It didn8217;t help, either, that he had a drinking problem 8212; which he later publicly acknowledged 8212; and a penchant for fistfights.

Through all this, though, the runs kept flowing 8212; and as long as he did, he was a shoo-in for the captaincy.

As a leader Ponting idolises former Aussie captain Mark Taylor 8212; someone who always believed that cricket at the end of the day was a game; nothing more, nothing less.

Surprisingly Dravid, currently finding his feet after taking over from another strong captain, also aspires for Taylor8217;s style. While the intense Dravid wants to loosen up like Taylor, the less profound Ponting is wary of taking the game too lightly.

EVEN in their approach to batting the two stars, despite apparent similarities, are different. Those differences stood out in stark relief in the Adelaide Test in December 2003, the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar series. Both scored double hundreds in the first innings 8212; but how very different they were.

Ponting8217;s 176 not out on Day One saw Australia finish at 400 8212; a record score at stumps. He had 50 off 64 balls, 100 off 117 balls and 150 off 192 balls; the next day he finished at 242 off 352 balls.

With India8217;s first task being to avoid the follow-on, Dravid assumed his usual position in the trenches. His 50 was off 138 balls, 100 from 223 and he eventually finished with 233 off 446 balls after batting for over nine hours 8212; and against a far superior attack.

It8217;s typical of their styles. Ponting8217;s first-innings average of 71 shows that he flows freely on a fresh pitch and when the match is yet to take shape; his no-holds-barred approach thrives when there aren8217;t too many things on his mind.

If Ponting is the pace-setter, Dravid is the master of the mid-race maneuver. He thrives in adversity: An early fall of wickets, a big chase and opponents desperate to dislodge him. A second-innings average of 61 8212; as compared to Ponting8217;s 57 8212; shows he likes the grind on a wearing pitch and is perfect for a pressure situation.

Despite his match-winning 233 at Adelaide, there are many who think that his 144 at Leeds in 2002 was grittier. It was in the first innings but there were enough challenges to face: Overcast, damp morning and four England swing bowlers in prime form. Dravid eventually got out for 148 off 307 balls but those who watched the game don8217;t talk about his cover drive or his cut; instead, they talk about how he left the ball. Dravid is that kind of player who can make a point without even touching the ball.

If you want to see their differences in a nutshell, watch them play their favourite stroke: the pull. Ponting hammers the short ball as if to smash it in two, Dravid, as though conscious of denting it, just gives it some elevation. The end is the same, the means are different.

That pretty much sums up the two: The Wall and The Wallop.