Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid explained why batters of shorter heights have excelled in cricket. Cricket history is replete with instances of outstanding batters who were diminutive in stature, such as Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Sunil Gavaskar.

It is stated that short-statured cricket hitters have an advantage over their taller counterparts in judging the length of deliveries.

Rahul Dravid, the former head coach and batting great of India, who grew up idolizing Gavaskar, supports the idea.

“Gavaskar was a beautifully balanced player. 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 center of gravity is lower. That’s what they say,” Dravid said on the Haal Chaal Aur Sawaal podcast with Ashish Kaushik.

He cited examples of several batters with short heights, including Tendulkar, Lara, and Ponting, and when talking about Virat Kohli, he stated that Kohli might not like him calling him short.

“A lot of great batters over the years have been shorter people. Look at Gavaskar, or Tendulkar, or Lara, or (Ricky) Ponting… Going back to Bradman. Kohli is shortish. Virat Kohli might not like me calling him shortish, though.

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," Dravid said.

Virat Kohli retired from T20Is last year and from Tests this year, after playing 123 Tests for India and scoring over 9000 runs with 30 centuries and 31 fifties. He also captained India in 68 Tests, winning 40 of them.