London, June 01: India's star batsman Rahul Dravid will be the cynosure of all eyes as he debuts for Scottish Saltires against the Hampshire hawks in the national league second division in Edinburgh later today. Dravid arrived in Scotland on Wednesday accompanied by wife Vijeta and will play 12 one-day games for Scotland.
"I suppose you could call (the summer with Saltires) an extended honeymoon, with a bit of work as well. Everyone tells me Scotland is beautiful and hopefully we will get a chance to see it," the Indian vice-captain said.
"I am also looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to know the culture," Dravid, with a test average of more than 50, was quoted as saying in the independent today.
Dravid's 45,000-pound contract is being funded mostly by NRIs who have been raising money through dinners, raffles and donations.
Gwynne Jones, the chief executive of the Scottish Cricket Union was keen to hire an Indian international "because cricket is a great game for bringing different ethnic populations together."
The player he had in mind was ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar but the Indian team coach John Wright suggested Dravid's name. Wright told him: "the person who is really going to do things for you, on and off the pitch, is Rahul Dravid."
Bureau Report