Dravid bats with the same grace and elegance in ODI cricket as he does in Test cricket: he doesn't suddenly start playing ugly swipes and ungainly heaves.

In terms of watchability, cricket always has been - and always will be - built around the bowling: when the bowler turns to run in, the most dramatic development possible is a wicket.. and any decent bowler carries both that threat AND a proven ability to deliver balls that can make almost any batsman look like a muppet. If you have THAT then you have the basis for interesting cricket.

In terms of the batting... the most interesting innings in ANY form of the game is where the batsman exhibits the class to make the out-fielders scrabble off nearly every ball: there's little to be said for watching five dot balls and a slogged-six, followed by four dot balls, a miscued heave picked up just inside the boundary and a thump down the ground that brings four - that's six an over... but nine dot balls and some off-balance, long handled and out of control willow-wielding doesn't return anything one can savour.

I'd rather watch Lara frustrate bowler and captain by lofting the ball over an infielder for two in order to get the field set back and then nudging singles... perhaps scoring just 10-11 off those 12 deliveries, but scoring off almost every ball and forcing field change after field-change from exasperated opponents.

Kirsten was capable of creating that sort of spectacle. I don't think the likes of Dhoni and Afridi are.