Dravid delivered the speech at the Anzac Hall at the National War Memorial, Canberra, the first cricketer from outside Australia to do so in its ten year history.
A studious and thoughtful presentation, Dravid began by paying his own respects to the legacy of the late great Sir Don Bradman before reminding those in attendance of the remarkable history that binds India and Australia together both on and off the field.
In the second half of his 40-minute speech Dravid spoke openly and honestly on the current state of world cricket. He shunned those who felt Indian cricket was driven by "money and power" and instead spoke of a team and of a nation rich in diversity, brought together by a common understanding and passion for the game of cricket.
He also questioned those who saw Indian cricketers as "overpaid" and "underworked" and insisted that investment into Indian cricket has only helped spread the field wider, improving facilities and allowing cricketers from all walks of life a chance to succeed, including the likes of Munaf Patel, Umesh Yadav, Zaheer Khan and Virendar Sehwag.
Commenting on world cricket in general though, Dravid make clear his fears for the health of Test cricket.
"It is not the numbers that Test players need, it is the atmosphere of a Test that every player wants to revel in and draw energy from. My first reaction to the lack of crowds for cricket was that there had been a lot of cricket and so perhaps, a certain amount of spectator-fatigue."
He added that players development was also clearly being hindered by the "mad merry-go-round" of the cricketing calendar, and that despite the popularity of Twenty20 cricket "Test cricket deserves to be protected, it is what the world's best know they will be judged by".
He also called upon the administrators to ensure that teams played, "Test cricket that people can watch" and that "fit into 21st century life, through timing, environments and the venues they are held in." This included the trialing of day-night Test matches and investing in the proposed Test Championship now delayed until 2017.
He added that players development was also clearly being hindered by the "mad merry-go-round" of the cricketing calendar, and that despite the popularity of Twenty20 cricket "Test cricket deserves to be protected, it is what the world's best know they will be judged by".
He also called upon the administrators to ensure that teams played, "Test cricket that people can watch" and that "fit into 21st century life, through timing, environments and the venues they are held in." This included the trialing of day-night Test matches and investing in the proposed Test Championship now delayed until 2017.
He spoke of playing a day night first-class game for the MCC in Abu Dhabi which left him convinced, "day-night Tests is an idea seriously worth exploring. There may be some challenges in places where there is dew but the visibility and durability of the pink cricket ball was not an issue."
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