 Dravid in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Rahul Sharad Dravid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1973-01-11)11 January 1973 (age 52) Indore,Madhya Pradesh, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | The Wall, Mr Dependable[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right armoff break | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Top-order batter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 207) | 20 June 1996 v England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 24 January 2012 v Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 95) | 3 April 1996 v Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 16 September 2011 v England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI shirt no. | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Only T20I (cap 38) | 31 August 2011 v England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| T20I shirt no. | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–2012 | Karnataka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Scottish Saltires | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Rajasthan Royals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2021 | India U19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2021 | India A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2024 | India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source:ESPNcricinfo,30 January 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rahul Sharad Dravid (born 11 January 1973) is anIndian formercricket player,ex-captain andex-head coach of theIndian national cricket team.[2][3] Known for his outstandingbatting technique,[4] Dravid scored 24,177 runs in international cricket and is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in thehistory of cricket.[5][6][7] He is colloquially known asMr. Dependable and often referred to asThe Wall.[8] He won the2002 ICC Champions Trophy as a member of the Indian team and guided the Indian team to victory in the2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup as the head coach.
Prior to his appointment to the senior men's national team, Dravid was the Head of Cricket at theNational Cricket Academy (NCA), and the head coach of theIndia Under-19 andIndia A teams. Under his tutelage, the Under-19 team finished as runners-up at the2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup and won the2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Under his coaching, Indian cricket team finished as runners-up at the2023 Cricket World Cup and2023 ICC World Test Championship final and were semifinalist at the2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Dravid was named one of theWisden Cricketers of the Year byWisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2000 and received thePlayer of the Year and the Test Player of the Year awards at the inaugural ICC awards ceremony in 2004.[9][10] In December 2011, he was the first non-Australian cricketer to deliver theBradman Oration inCanberra.[11] As of July 2025, he isthe fifth-highest run scorer in Test cricket,[12] and was the first player to score a century in all ten Test-playing countries (now 12).[13] He holds the records for the most balls faced in Test cricket and the longest time spent batting in Tests.[14]
David retired from One Day International and Twenty20 International cricket in August 2011, and from Test andfirst-class cricket the following year.[15] In July 2018, he became the fifth Indian cricketer to be inducted into theICC Hall of Fame.[16]
Dravid was born to aMarathi-speakingBrahmin family[17] inIndore,Madhya Pradesh.[18] His family later moved toBangalore,Karnataka, where he was raised.[19] His mother tongue isMarathi.[20] Dravid's father, Sharad Dravid, worked for a company that produces jams and preserves, giving rise to the later nicknameJammy. His mother, Pushpa, was a professor ofarchitecture at theUniversity Visvesvaraya College of Engineering in Bangalore.[21] Dravid has a younger brother named Vijay.[22]
Rahul Dravid attendedSt. Joseph's Boys High School and earned a degree in commerce fromSt Joseph's College of Commerce.[22] He was selected toIndia's national cricket team while working towards an MBA at theSt Joseph's College of Business Administration.[23] He is fluent in Marathi, Kannada, English and Hindi.[17]
Dravid started playing cricket at the age of 12 and representedKarnataka at the under-15, the under-17, and the under-19 levels.[24] Former cricketerKeki Tarapore first noticed Dravid's talent while coaching at a summer camp in theChinnaswamy Stadium.[25] Dravid scored a century for his school team.[citation needed] He also played aswicket-keeper.[22]
Dravid made hisRanji Trophy debut in February 1991, while still attending college.[26] Playing alongside future India teammatesAnil Kumble andJavagal Srinath againstMaharashtra inPune, he scored 82 runs in the match, which ended in a draw.[27] He followed it up with a century againstBengal and three successive centuries after.[28] Dravid's first full season took place in 1991–92, when he scored two centuries and finished up with 380 runs at an average of 63.30,[29] resulting in his selection to theSouth Zone cricket team in theDuleep Trophy.[30] Dravid caught the national team selectors' attention with his positive performances forIndia A in the home series againstEngland A in 1994–95.[28]
Dravid received his first call to theIndian national cricket team in October 1994 for the last two matches of theWills World Series. However, he could not break into the playing eleven and had to return to the domestic circuit.[31] Despite a stellar show in domestic cricket, Dravid was not selected for the Indian team for the1996 World Cup, prompting an Indian daily newspaper to run an article with the headline – "Rahul Dravid gets a raw deal".[32]
He eventually made his international debut on 3 April 1996 in an ODI againstSri Lanka in theSinger Cup held inSingapore immediately after the 1996 World Cup, replacingVinod Kambli.[33][34] He wasn't particularly successful with the bat, scoring only three runs before being dismissed byMuttiah Muralitharan, but took two catches in the match.[35] He followed it up with another failure in the next game, scoring only four runs before being run out againstPakistan.[35]
In contrast to his ODI debut, his Test debut was rather successful. He was selected for the Indian squad touringEngland on the backdrop of a consistent performance in domestic cricket for five years.[31][36] Fine performances in the tour games including fifties againstGloucestershire andLeicestershire failed to earn him a place in the team for the First Test.[37] He finally made his Test debut atLord's on 20 June 1996 againstEngland in the Second Test of theseries at the expense of injured senior batsmanSanjay Manjrekar.[33][38] Manjrekar, who was suffering from an ankle injury, was to undergo a fitness test on the morning of the Second Test. Dravid had already been informed that he would play if Manjrekar failed the test. Manjrekar subsequently failed the test. Ten minutes before the toss,Sandeep Patil, the Indian coach, informed Dravid that he was indeed going to make his debut that day. Patil recalled years later:[38]
I told him he will be playing. His face lit up. I cannot forget that moment.
Coming in to bat at no. 7, he forged important partnerships, first with another debutantSourav Ganguly and then with Indian lower order, securing a vital first innings lead for his team.[39][40] Dravid scored 95 runs missing out on a debut hundred as he walked off after getting caught behind to aChris Lewis delivery.[41] During this match, he also took his first catch in Test cricket to dismissNasser Hussain off the bowling ofSrinath.[42][43] In the next tour game againstBritish Universities, Dravid scored a hundred. He scored another fifty in the first innings of the Third Test.[35] Dravid concluded a successful debut series with an average of 62.33 from two Test matches.[44]
I had played five years of first-class cricket to break into the Indian team ... scored a lot of runs in domestic cricket ... was lucky to get the opportunity ... knew that probably it would be the only one. Otherwise I would have to go back to domestic cricket and start the cycle all over again ... I remember when I was 50 not out at the end of the day ... walking back to the hotel with Srinath and I knew somehow that this was probably a very significant innings. I knew I had some more breathing space ... a few more Test matches at least ... gave me a lot of confidence scoring 95 here and 80 at Trent Bridge ... as a player and as a person.
Dravid's early years in international cricket mirrored his international debut. He had contrasting fortunes in the long and the shorter format of the game. While he was successful in Test cricket, he struggled with ODIs.[46]
After his Test debut in England, Dravid played in theone-off Test againstAustralia inDelhi – his first Test in India. Batting at no. 6, he scored 40 runs in the first innings. Dravid batted at no. 3 position for the first time in the First Test of the three-matchhome series againstSouth Africa inAhmedabad in November 1996.[39] He failed to perform well in the series, scoring only 175 runs at an average of 29.16.[44]
Two weeks later, India touredSouth Africa for athree–match Test series. Chasing a target of 395 runs in the First Test, the Indian team got bowled out for 66 runs on theDurban pitch that provided excessive bounce andseam movement.[47] Dravid, batting at no. 6, was the only Indian batsman who reached double figures in the innings, scoring 27not out.[48] He was promoted to the no. 3 slot again in the second innings of the Second Test. He almost won the Third Test for India with his maiden test hundred in the first innings, scoring 148 runs and another 81 runs in the second innings atWanderers before the thunderstorms, dim light andCullinan's hundred helped South Africa draw the match.[39][49] Dravid's performance in this Test earned him his first Man of the Match award in Test cricket.[50] He top scored for India in the series with 277 runs at an average of 55.40.[51]
Dravid continued in the same vein in theWest Indies, where he once again top scored for India in thefive–match Test series, aggregating 360 runs at an average of 72.00, including four fifties.[52] 92 runs scored in the first innings of the fifth match inGeorgetown earned him a joint Man of the Match award along withShivnarine Chanderpaul.[53] With this series, Dravid concluded the 1996-97 Test season, topping the international runs chart with 852 runs from 12 matches at an average of 50.11, with six fifties and a hundred.[54]
Dravid continued his successful run, scoring seven fifties in the next eight Tests that included fifties in six consecutive innings (three each against Sri Lanka and Australia), becoming only the second Indian to do so afterGundappa Vishwanath.[39][55] By the end of 1997-98 Test season, he had scored 15 fifties in 22 Tests including four scores of nineties but just one hundred.[56]
During the 1998-99 Test season, Dravid scored 752 runs in seven Tests at an average of 62.66, that included four hundreds and one fifty. In the process, he topped the runs chart for India for the season.[57] He scored the first of the four hundreds during the Zimbabwe tour.[39] Dravid top scored in both innings againstZimbabwe, scoring 118 and 44 runs respectively; however, India lost theone-off Test.[58]
The Zimbabwe tour was followed by a tour toNew Zealand. The First Test having been abandoned without a ball being bowled,[59] theseries started for Dravid with the firstduck of his Test career in the first innings of the Second Test and ended with hundreds in both innings of the Third Test inHamilton. He scored 190 and 103 not out in the first and the second innings respectively, becoming only the third Indian batsman, afterVijay Hazare andSunil Gavaskar, to score a century in both innings of a Test match.[35][60] Dravid topped the runs table for the series with 321 runs at an average of 107.00, although India lost the series 0–1.[59][61]
Later that month, India played a two Testhome series against Pakistan. Dravid didn't contribute much with the bat. India lost the First Test but won the Second Test in Delhi withKumble's historic10-wicket haul. Dravid played his part in the 10-wicket haul by taking a catch to dismissMushtaq Ahmed, who was Kumble's eighth victim in the innings.[62][63] The India-Pakistan Test series was followed by the1998–99 Asian Test Championship. India went on to lose the riot-affected First Test of the championship against Pakistan at theEden Gardens.[35][64] India went toSri Lanka to play the Second Test of the championship. Dravid scored his fourth hundred of the season atColombo in the first innings of the match. He also effected a successful run out ofRussel Arnold during Sri Lankan innings fielding at short leg. On the fourth morning, Dravid was injured while fielding at the same position when the ball fromJayawardene's pull shot struck his face through the helmet grill. He didn't come out to bat in the second innings due to the injury.[65] The match ended in a draw as India failed to qualify for the Finals of the championship.[66]
In a stark contrast to his Test career, Dravid struggled to make a mark in the ODIs.[46] Between his ODI debut in April 1996 and the end of 1998, Dravid regularly found himself in and out of the ODI team.[67]
Dravid's first success in his ODI career took place in the1996 'Friendship' Cup against Pakistan in the tough conditions ofToronto.[68] He emerged as the highest scorer of the series with 220 runs in five matches at an average of 44.00 and a strike rate of 68.53.[69] He won his first ODI Man of the Match award for the 46 runs scored in the low scoring third game of the series.[50] He top scored for India in theStandard Bank International One-Day Series 1996/97 in South Africa with 280 runs from eight games at an average of 35.00 and a strike rate of 60.73,[70] the highlight being a Man of the Match award-winning performance (84 runs, one catch) in the Final of the series, although his team lost the match.[71] He was the second highest run scorer for India in thefour-match bilateral ODI series in the West Indies in the 1996–97 season with 121 runs at an average of 40.33 and a strike rate of 57.61.[72] Dravid scored his first ODI hundred in the1997 Pepsi Independence Cup against Pakistan inChennai that came in a losing cause.[73][74] Dravid top scored for India in the quadrangular event with 189 runs from three games at an average of 94.50 and a strike rate of 75.60. However, India failed to qualify for the Final of the series.[75][76]
Dravid's achievements in the ODIs were dwarfed by his failures in the shorter format of the game. 14 runs from two games in the1996 Pepsi Sharjah Cup; 20 runs from two innings in theSinger World Series; 65 runs from four innings in the1997 'Friendship' Cup; 88 runs from four games in the1998 Coca-Cola Triangular Series including a 22-ball five runs and a 21-ball one run innings, both againstBangladesh; 32 runs from four games in the1998 'Friendship' Cup;[39][44] a slew of such poor performances often forced him to the sidelines of the India ODI squad.[67] By the end of 1998, Dravid had scored 1,709 runs in 65 ODIs at an average of only 31.64 with a low strike rate of 63.48.[77]
By now, Dravid had been branded as a Test specialist. While he continued a successful run in Test cricket, he struggled in the ODIs. He drew criticism for not being able to adjust his style of play to the needs of ODI cricket and his lack of attacking capability. Dravid subsequently increased his range of strokes and adapted his batting style to suit the requirements of ODI cricket. He learned to pace his innings cleverly without going forthe slogs.[32][46][68]
Dravid's ODI success began during the 1998-99 New Zealand tour.[32] He scored a run-a-ball hundred in the first match of thebilateral ODI series that earned him his third Man of the Match award in ODIs.[39][50] His team lost the match.[35] However, his effort of 51 runs from 71 balls in the Fourth ODI resulted in India's victory and earned him his second Man of the Match award of the series.[39][50] He became the top scorer of the series with 309 runs from five games at an average of 77.25 and a strike rate of 84.65.[78] Dravid scored a hundred against Sri Lanka in the1998/99 Pepsi Cup atNagpur, scoring 116 of 118 deliveries.[79] In the next match against Pakistan, he bowled four overs and took the wicket ofSaeed Anwar.[80] This was his first wicket in international cricket.[35]
Dravid scored two fifties in the1998–99 Coca-Cola Cup inSharjah, one each against England and Pakistan.[39] Standing-in as the substitute wicket-keeper in the third match of the series forNayan Mongia, who was injured during keeping, Dravid effected two dismissals. He first stumpedGraeme Hick offSunil Joshi's bowling, who became Dravid's first victim as a wicket-keeper, and then caughtNeil Fairbrother offAjay Jadeja's bowling.[42][81] He top scored for India in the tournament,[82] though his last innings of the series was a golden duck against Pakistan in the Final.[39]
Dravid hit consecutive fifties in England against Leicestershire andNottinghamshire in the warm-up games.[35]
He made his World Cup debut against South Africa atHove, scoring a half century. He scored only 13 runs in the next game against Zimbabwe.[83] India lost both the games.[84] Having lost the first two games, India needed to win the remaining three games of the first round to have any chance of advancing into theSuper Six stage.[85] Dravid set up apartnership withSachin Tendulkar, during which they scored 237 runs againstKenya atBristol – a World Cup record – and in the process hit his maiden World Cup hundred, leading India to a 94-run victory.[86] India's designated keeper Nayan Mongia was injured and left the field at the end of the 9thover during Kenyan innings, forcing Dravid to keep the wickets for the rest of the innings.[87] In the absence of Mongia, Dravid played his first ODI as a designated keeper against Sri Lanka atTaunton.[88] Dravid once again set up a record breaking partnership of 318 runs, the first ever three hundred run partnership in ODI history, with Sourav Ganguly leading India to a 157-run win.[89] Dravid scored 145 runs from 129 balls with 17 fours and a six, becoming the second batsman in World Cup history to hit back-to-back hundreds.[90] Dravid scored a fifty in the last group match as India defeated England to advance to the Super Six stage.[91] Dravid scored 2, 61, and 29 in the three Super Six matches against Australia, Pakistan &New Zealand respectively.[83] India failed to qualify for the semi-finals, having lost to Australia and New Zealand. They achieved a consolation victory against Pakistan in a tense game that took place during theKargil War inKashmir.[84][92][93] Dravid emerged as the top scorer of the tournament with 461 runs from 8 games at an average of 65.85 and a strike rate of 85.52.[94]
Dravid's post-World Cup campaign started poorly with only 40 runs scored in 4 games during theAiwa Cup in August 1999.[35] He soon top-scored for India in two consecutive limited-overs series – theSingapore Challenge, the highlight being a hundred in the Final (despite their loss),[95][96] and theDMC Cup, the highlight being a match winning effort (77 runs, 4 catches) in the series decider for which he received a man-of-the-match award.[97][98] Dravid topped the international runs chart for the 1999 cricket season across all formats, scoring 782 runs during 19 matches.[99] By now, Dravid had started to keep wickets on an infrequent basis, with India fielding him as designated wicket-keeper in five out of 10 ODIs played in the three events.[88]
Dravid began his post-World Cup Test season with a decent outing against New Zealand in the3-match home series. His best effort during the series came in the second innings of the First test atMohali, where he scored 144 runs, helping India salvage a draw after being bowled out for 83 runs in the First innings.[100] This was Dravid's sixth test hundred and his first test hundred in India.[39] Dravid was successful in the 3–2 series win against New Zealand during the bilateral ODI series, scoring 240 runs in 5 games at an average of 60 and a strike rate of 83.62, ending as the second highest scorer in the series.[35][101] His career best effort in ODIs came in this series in the second game atHyderabad where he scored run-a-ball 153 runs, which included fifteen fours and two sixes.[39] He set up a 331-run partnership with Tendulkar, highest partnership in ODI cricket history at the time, a record they held for 15 years until it was broken in 2015.[102] In 1999, Dravid scored 1,761 runs in 43 ODIs at an average of 46.34 and a strike rate of 75.16, including 6 hundreds and 8 fifties. He also featured in two 300+ run partnerships.[102][103]
India touredAustralia in December 1999 for a 3-match test series and a triangular ODI tournament. Although Dravid scored a hundred againstTasmania in the practice match, he underperformed with the bat in the Test series as India lost0–3. He did reasonably well in the1999–2000 Carlton & United Series, scoring 3 fifties in the triangular event. However, India failed to qualify for the Final of the tournament.[35][104]
Dravid's poor form in Tests continued as India suffered a0–2 whitewash against South Africa in a home series.[35] He had moderate success in thebilateral ODI series against South Africa. He contributed to India's 3–2 series win with 208 runs at an average of 41.60, which included 2 fifties and three wickets at an average of 22.66, topping the bowling average chart for the series.[35][105] His career best bowling figure of 2/43 from nine overs in the First ODI atKochi was also the best bowling figure for any bowler in that match.[35][106]
In February 2000, Tendulkar's resignation from captaincy led to the promotion of Ganguly, the then-vice-captain, as the new captain of the Indian team.[107] In May 2000, while Dravid was busy playingcounty cricket in England, he was appointed as the vice-captain of theAsia cup Indian team.[108]
India did well in the2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy. The Indian team, marred by amatch fixing controversy, defeated Kenya, Australia, and South Africa in consecutive matches to reach the Finals. India lost to New Zealand in the Finals.[109] Dravid scored 157 runs in 4 matches of the tournament, at an average of 52.33, including 2 fifties.[110] He also scored 85 runs in a match against Zimbabwe in the 2000–01 Coca-Cola Champions Trophy while opening the innings but was forced to miss the rest of the tournament because of an injury.[109]
India kick started the new Test season with a9-wicket win against Bangladesh. Dravid played a brisk knock of 41 runs from 49 balls, including five fours and a six, while chasing a target of 63 runs.[111] The ensuingtest series against Zimbabwe wasJohn Wright's first assignment as Indian coach. Dravid, who had recently concluded a county stint with Kent, had interacted with and recognized Wright's potential, who was coaching Kent cricket team at the time and played a key role in recommendation and appointment of Wright as India's first foreign head coach. Dravid scored 200 not out in the first and 70 not out in the second innings of the First Test, guiding India to a 9-wicket victory against Zimbabwe.[109][112] He scored 162 in the drawn Second test to end the series with an average of 432.00, the highest batting average by an Indian in a series across all formats (international and non-international).[35][113]
Dravid captained the Indian team for the first time in the fifth match of thebilateral ODI series against Zimbabwe in the absence of Ganguly, who was serving suspension.[109] WithAgarkar's successful performance, Dravid led India to a 39-run victory in his maiden ODI as captain.[114]
In January 2004, Dravid was found guilty of ball tampering during an ODI with Zimbabwe. Match refereeClive Lloyd adjudged the application of an energy sweet to the ball as a deliberate offence, although Dravid himself denied this was his intent. Lloyd emphasised that television footage caught Dravid putting a lozenge on the ball during the Zimbabwean innings on Tuesday night at the Gabba. According to the ICC's Code of Conduct, players are not allowed to apply substances to a ball other than sweat and saliva. Dravid was fined half of his match fee.[115] Indian coachJohn Wright defended Dravid, stating that "It was an innocent mistake". Wright argued that Dravid had been trying to apply saliva to the ball when parts of a losenge he had been chewing stuck to the ball; Dravid then tried to wipe it off. ICC regulations prevented Dravid from commenting about the issue, but former Indian captainSourav Ganguly also stated that Dravid's act was "just an accident".[116]
The Australian team toured India, touted as 'Final Frontier' by Steve Waugh for his team that was on a 15-match winning streak, in February 2001.[117] Dravid performed poorly in the first innings of the First Test but displayed strong resilience in the second innings. His 196-ball-long resistance finally ended when he got out bowled to Warne for 39 runs. Australians extended their winning streak to 16 Tests as they defeated India by 10 wickets inside three days.[118][119]
During the Second Test at Eden Gardens, the Australians bowled India out for 171 runs in the first innings and enforced a follow-on after securing a lead of 274 runs. In the second innings,Laxman, who had scored a fifty in the first innings, was promoted to the no. 3 position which had been Dravid's usual spot, while Dravid, who had gotten bowled out to Warne for a second time in a row in the first innings for just 25 runs, was relegated to no. 6 position. When Dravid joined Laxman in the middle on the third day of the Test the scoreboard read 232/4, with India still needing 42 runs to avoid an innings defeat.[117][120]
Dravid and Laxman played out the remaining time on the third day and the whole of the fourth day denying Australia any breakthrough.[117][121] Eventually, Laxman got out on the fifth morning, bringing the 376-runs partnership to an end. Ganguly declared the innings at 657/7, setting Australia a target of 384 runs with 75 overs left in the match.[122][123] India bowled Australia out for 212 runs in 68.3 overs winning the match by 171 runs.[124] This was only the third instance of a team winning a Test after following-on, and India became the second team to do so.[122]
Dravid scored 81 runs in the first innings of the Third Test and took 4 catches in the match as India defeated Australia at Chennai, winning theseries 2–1. Dravid scored 80 runs in the first of the5-match ODI series at hishome ground as India won the match by 60 runs. He underperformed in the remaining 4 ODIs as Australia won the series 3–2.[35][125] Dravid topped the averages for the 2000-01 Test season with 839 runs in six matches at an average of 104.87.[126]
Dravid had a decent outing in Zimbabwe, scoring 137 runs from 134 balls in the First Tour game and aggregating 138 runs at an average of 69.00 from the drawnTest series.[127][128] In the ensuingtriangular ODI series, he aggregated 121 runs from 5 matches at an average of 40.33 and a strike rate of 101.68,[129] the highlight being an unbeaten 72 off 64 balls, while chasing a target of 235 against Zimbabwe in the 3rd match of the series, leading India to a 4-wicket win with four balls to spare. He was adjudged man of the match.[130]
On the next tour to Sri Lanka, India lost the first three matches of thetriangular event. In the absence of the suspended Ganguly, Dravid captained the side in the 4th match leading them to their first victory of the series. India won the next two matches to qualify for the Final. Dravid played crucial innings in all three victories. Eventually, India lost the Final to Sri Lanka.[131] He top scored for India in the series with 259 runs from seven matches at an average of 51.80 and a strike rate of 59.81.[132] Reinstated to his usual no. 3 position in the absence of the injured Laxman, Dravid top scored for India in the ensuing3-Test series as well with 235 runs at an average of 47.00. Dravid scored 75 runs in the fourth innings chase of the Second Test – a crucial contribution to India's first Test win in Sri Lanka since 1993, despite the absence of key players like Tendulkar, Laxman, Srinath and Kumble.[131][133][134]
Dravid had decent success inStandard Bank tri-series on the South Africa tour, scoring 214 runs (including 3 fifties) at an average of 53.50 and a strike rate of 71.81.[44] He also kept wickets in the final two ODIs of the series, effecting 3 stumpings.[88] The highlight for Dravid in the ensuingTest series came in the second innings of the Second Test. India, having failed to last a hundred overs in any of the previous three innings in the series, needed to bat out four sessions in the Second Test to save the match. They started poorly, losing their first wicket in the first over itself. However, Dravid forged a partnership of 171 runs withDasgupta that lasted for 83.2 overs, taking India to the brink of safety. Poor weather helped India salvage a draw as only 96.2 overs could be bowled in the innings.[135][136][137] Dravid captained the team in the'unofficial' Third test in the absence of injured Ganguly, which India lost by an innings margin.[138][139]
By the end of the South African tour, Dravid had started experiencing problems with his right shoulder. Although he played the ensuing hometest series against England, he pulled out of the six-match bilateral ODI series to undergo a shoulder rehabilitation program in South Africa. He returned forZimbabwe's tour of India but performed below par, scoring a fifty each in the Test series and the bilateral ODI series.[35][139]
Dravid hit the peak form of his career in 2002.[140] Between the 2002 and the 2006 season, Dravid was the second-highest scorer overall and top scorer for India across formats, scoring 8,914 runs from 174 matches at an average of 54.02, including 19 hundreds.[141]
Dravid had a successful outingin the West Indies in 2002. The highlights for him included hitting a hundred with a swollen jaw helping India avoid the follow-on at Georgetown in the drawn First Test,[142] contributing with a fifty and four catches to India's victory in the Second Test at thePort of Spain – India's first Test victory in the West Indies since 1975–76[35][143] – and another fifty in the drawn Fourth Test with a wicket to boot, that ofRidley Jacobs who was batting on 118.[144] This was Dravid's only wicket in Test cricket.[35] He played as India's designated keeper in the ODI series but didn't contribute much with the bat in the 2–1 series win.[35][88]
India's tour of England in 2002 started with a triangular ODI event involving India, England and Sri Lanka. India emerged as the winner of the series, defeating England in the Final – their first victory after nine consecutive defeats in one-day finals.[145][146] Dravid played as designated keeper in six out of seven matches, effecting nine dismissals (6 catches, 3 stumpings) – the most by a keeper in the series.[147] He also performed well with the bat, aggregating 245 runs at an average of 49.00, including three fifties.[44] His performance against Sri Lanka in the fourth ODI (64 runs, 1 catch) earned him a man of the match award.[148]
India lost the first of the four match Test series. Having conceded a 260 runs lead in the first innings of the Second Test atNottingham, the Indian team was in a spot of bother. However, Dravid led the fightback in the second innings with a hundred as the Indian team managed to earn a draw.[149]
Ganguly won the toss in the Third Test and decided to bat first on an overcast morning atHeadingley, on a pitch known to be traditionally conducive for fast and swing bowling.[149] Having lost an early wicket, Dravidweathered the storm in the company ofSanjay Bangar.[150] They played cautiously, taking body blows on a pitch with uneven bounce. Dravid completed his second hundred of the series in the process.[149][150] The Indian team declared the innings on 628/8 and then bowled England out twice to register their first test victory in England since 1986.[149][151] Despite being outscored by Tendulkar, Dravid was named man of the match for his heroic efforts on the first day in adverse conditions.[149][150] Dravid scored a double hundred in the drawn Fourth Test and earned his second consecutive man of the match award of the series.[152]Christopher Martin-Jenkins noted during the Fourth Test:[149]
If a Martian were to land on Earth now and be told that the best batsman in the world was playing in this match, he would think it was Rahul Dravid and not Sachin Tendulkar.
Dravid aggregated 602 runs in the series from four matches at an average of 100.33, including three hundreds and a fifty, and was adjudged joint man of the series along withMichael Vaughan.[44][152]
India jointly shared the2002 ICC Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka.[153] Dravid contributed to India's successful campaign with 120 runs at an average of 60.00 and five dismissals behind the wicket.[35] Dravid scored a hundred in the First Test of thethree match home series against the West Indies, becoming the first Indian batsman to score hundreds in four consecutive Test innings, but had to retire soon after owing to severe cramps.[154] Dravid performed well in the subsequent bilateral 7-match ODI series aggregating 300 runs at an average of 75.00 and a strike rate of 89.82, including a hundred and two fifties.[44] He also effected 7 dismissals (6 catches, 1 stumping) in the series.[155] India was trailing 1–2 and needed 325 runs to win the Fourth ODI and level the series. Dravid scored a hundred, leading India to a successful chase. He once again scored a crucial fifty in the Sixth ODI as India once again leveled the series after trailing 2–3. India, however, lost the last match to lose the series 3–4.[35][156]
Dravid top scored for India in thetwo-match Test series in New Zealand as India slumped to a whitewash.[157][158] He played as designated keeper in six of the 7-match bilateral ODI series and effected seven dismissals but fared poorly with the bat as India was handed a 2-5 drubbing by New Zealand.[35][158]
Dravid arrived in South Africa with the Indian squad to participate in the2003 Cricket World Cup in the capacity of first-choice keeper-batsman as part of theirseven batsmen-four bowlers strategy – an experiment that had brought success to the team during the prior year. The idea was that making Dravid keep wickets allowed India to accommodate an extra specialist batsman. The strategy worked well for India in the World Cup. India recovered from a less than convincing victory against theNetherlands and a loss to Australia in the league stage, winning eight consecutive matches to qualify for the World Cup Finals for the first time since 1983.[159][160] India eventually lost the Final to Australia, finishing as runner-up in the tournament.[161] Dravid contributed to India's campaign with 318 runs at an average of 63.60 and 16 dismissals (15 catches, 1 stumping).[44][155] Highlights for Dravid in the tournament included a fifty against England, 44 not out against Pakistan in a successful chase, and an undefeated fifty in another successful chase against New Zealand.[35][161]
Dravid topped the international runs chart for the 2003-04 cricket season across formats, aggregating 1,993 runs from 31 matches at an average of 64.29, including three double hundreds.[39][162] The first match involved India and New Zealand, in the first of thetwo-test home series at Ahmedabad. Dravid scored 222 runs in the first innings and 73 runs in the second innings, receiving a man of the match award for his efforts. Dravid captained the Indian Test Team for the first time in the second game of the series at Mohali in the absence of Ganguly. Both matches ended in draws.[50][163] Dravid top scored in the series with 313 runs at an average of 78.25.[164] India next participated in theTVS cup alongside New Zealand and Australia. India lost to Australia in the Final. Dravid scored two fifties in the series but the highlight was his fifty against New Zealand in the ninth match that came in just 22 balls – the second fastest fifty by an Indian.[35][165]
"Rahul batted like God".
After earning a draw in the first of thefour-match Test series in Australia, the Indian team found itself reeling at 85/4 in the Second Test atAdelaide, after Australia had piled 556 runs in the first innings when Laxman joined Dravid in the middle.[167] They batted for 93.5 overs, bringing about their second 300-run partnership, adding 303 runs together before Laxman perished for 148 runs.[168] However, Dravid continued to complete his second double hundred of the season.[35] He was the last man out for 233 runs as India conceded a marginal first innings lead of 33 runs to Australia. India bowled Australia out for a score of only 196, with the help of Agarkar's six-wicket haul, and were set a target of 230 runs to win the match.[169] Dravid scored an unbeaten 72 in the chase as India registered their first test victory in Australia since the 1980–81 season.[170] This was the first time that Australians went behind in a home series since 1994.[171] Dravid won the man of the match award for his efforts.[50] He scored two nineties in the next two tests, as Australia leveled the series to 1–1.[35] Dravid top scored for India in the series with 619 runs at an average of 123.80 and was awarded player of the series for his efforts.[172]
Dravid performed moderately well in the ensuingVB series with three fifties in the league stage, all of which came in winning cause. However, India lost the best-of-three finals to Australia 2–0.[35]
India visitedPakistan in March 2004 to participate in abilateral Test series for the first time since the 1989–90 season.[173] Prior to the Test series, India played and won the 5-match ODI series 3–2.[35] Dravid top scored for India in the series with 248 runs at an average of 62.00 and a strike rate of 73.59, and effected four dismissals (3 catches, 1 stumping).[174][155] His contributions included 99 runs in the First ODI and a fifty during a successful chase in the Fourth ODI.[35]
Dravid captained India in the first two of the ensuing three-match test series in the absence of Ganguly, who was injured, and led India to their first-ever Test victory in Pakistan. In only his second test as the team's captain, Dravid took a controversial decision during the First Test atMultan, declaring Indian innings at the fall of the fifth wicket, with the scoreboard reading 675/5 and Tendulkar unbeaten at 194, just six runs shy of a double hundred. He wanted to bowl a certain number of overs and take a shot at the exhausted Pakistani batsmen, who had been on the field for 150+ overs, in the final hour of the second day's play. While some praised the "team-before-personal-milestones" approach of the Indian captain, others criticized Dravid's timing of declaration as there were no pressing concerns and there was ample time left in the match to try to bowl Pakistan out twice.[175][176] While Tendulkar was admittedly disappointed, both he and Dravid and the team's management denied any rumours of a rift between them, and claimed that the matter had been discussed and sorted amicably behind closed doors.[177][178][179] India eventually went on to win the match by an innings margin. Pakistan leveled the series, defeating India in the Second Test. Dravid scored a double hundred in the Third Test atRawalpindi – his third double hundred of the season. He scored 270 runs – his career best performance – before perishing to a reverse sweep, trying to force the pace.[175][39] India went on to win the match and the series – their first series victory outside India since 1993 and first ever in Pakistan.[175] Dravid was adjudged man of the match for his effort.[50] He topped the international averages for 2003-04 Test season with 1,241 runs from nine tests at an average of 95.46.[180]
India ended as runners-up in the2004 Asia Cup. Dravid contributed to the campaign with a hundred against the U.A.E., which earned him a man of the match award,[50] a fifty against Sri Lanka and five dismissals behind the wicket.[35] He did not make any significant contribution with the bat in the ensuing Videocon Cup, but scored a fifty in the 3-match bilateral ODI series in England and top scored for India in the failed campaign at the2004 ICC Champions Trophy.[35][181]
Dravid did not perform well in the ensuingBorder-Gavaskar Trophy at home, scoring only one fifty in four matches.[35] He led India in the Third and the Fourth Test of the series in the absence of regular captain Ganguly amid some speculations. While India lost the Third Test and with it the series, he led the team to a consolation win in the Fourth Test with his spirited leadership and some critical decision making including promotion of Laxman up the batting order and bowling Kartik before Kumble.[182] He contributed 181 runs including two fifties to India's 1–0 victory in the2-match home test series against South Africa. He topped the series average charts with an average of 90.5.[35][183] Sandwiched between the two test series, India played asolitary ODI against Pakistan at home to mark the 75th anniversary of theBoard of Control for Cricket in India.[39][184] The match turned out to be Dravid's last ODI as a designated wicket keeper.[35][88] In all, Dravid effected 84 dismissals (71 catches, 13 stumpings) in 73 matches as India's designated keeper and 2 dismissals (1 catch, 1 stumping) as substitute keeper, totaling to 86 dismissals behind the wicket in ODIs which is the fourth best among Indian keepers.[88][42][185] Dravid had a good outing onBangladesh tour, where he scored a hundred in the Test series and two fifties in the ODI series, with India winning both the series.[35]
In 2005, Dravid represented Asia XI against the ICC World XI at theWorld Cricket Tsunami Appeal. He top scored for Asia XI with a fifty but could not take his team to victory against the ICC World XI.[35] Pakistan visited India in March 2005 forbilateral a Test and ODI series. Dravid scored a fifty in the First drawn test. He scored a hundred in each innings of the second test (110 in First innings and 135 in Second innings) at Eden Gardens, becoming only the second Indian to have scored a hundred in each innings of a test on two or more occasions. India won the test and Dravid earned man of the match award for his performance. He didn't fare well in the Third Test as India lost to draw the series 1-1. At the end of the series, Dravid's test average stood at 57.86 which was highest among the contemporary batsmen.[182] Dravid topped the runs chart in the 6-match ODI series with 308 runs at an average of 51.33 and a strike rate of 80.00, including a hundred and two fifties. He also captained the team in the final two ODIs in the absence of Ganguly but could not prevent his team from losing the series 2–4 to Pakistan.
Dravid was appointed as full time captain for ODIs in October 2005 series vs Sri Lanka[186] and for tests in November 2005 series vs Sri Lanka.[187]
Under Dravid's captaincy, India won a record 17 successive matches while chasing in ODIs, from September 2005 to May 2006.[188][189]
In India's tour of West Indies in 2006, Dravid led from the front scoring twin fifties (81 and 68), leading India to a win in the 4th and final test, winning the man of the match award and clinching a historic series win 1-0, their first in the Caribbean in 35 years.[190]
Dravid was the captain of the Indian team for the2007 World Cup, during which India exited in the first stage.[191] Dravid received severe criticism for the exit. "The result: a confused team, unclear about what mode to take on the field, haphazard selections, and defensive, unsure play. The confused state of Dravid's state of mind could be seen in his field captaincy. Unsure of whether to attack or defend, he looked confused and forlorn."[192]
India skipper Rahul Dravid said he was willing to take full responsibility for his team's miserable World Cup campaign. "I am not sitting here and trying to shirk responsibility. I am the first one to stand up and say that we should have done better and it starts with me," said Dravid.[193]
After the highly disappointing World Cup exit, Dravid's India toured England and secured a historic test series win in the 3 match test series, 1-0 winning the 2nd test at TrentBridge.[194] The team narrowly lost the ODI series 3-4.[195]
Dravid resigned from captaincy in September 2007. Per the then BCCI presidentSharad Pawar, "Dravid told me during the recent tour of England that he wanted to step down. He said captaincy was affecting his batting and he now wants to concentrate on his game. After leading the team for two years, he wants the opportunity to go to some new person"[196]
Having regained his form on the tour to the West Indies, where he scored a match-winning hundred in Sabina park, Jamaica, Dravid then toured England in what was billed as the series that would decide the World No. 1 ranking in tests. In the first test at Lord's, in reply to England's 474, Dravid scored an undefeated 103, his first hundred at the ground where he debuted in 1996. He received scant support from his teammates as India's team was bowled out for 286 and lost the test.[197] The second test at Trentbridge in Nottingham again saw Dravid in successful form. Sent out to open the batting in place of an injured Gautam Gambhir, he scored his second successive hundred. His score of 117 again did not secure the team's victory, as a collapse of 6 wickets for 21 runs in the first innings led to a defeat by 319 runs.[198] Dravid failed in both innings in the third test at Birmingham, as India lost by an innings and 242 runs, one of the heaviest defeats in their history.[199] However, during the fourth and final match at The Oval, he opened the batting in place of Gambhir, and scored an undefeated 146 out of India's total of 300, carrying his bat through the innings. Once again, though, his efforts were in vain as India lost the match in a 0–4 whitewash.[200]In total, he scored 461 runs in the four matches at an average of 76.83 with three hundreds. He accounted for over 26% of India's runs in the series and was named India's man of the series by English coach Andy Flower. Dravid's performance in the series was met with admiration.[201][202]
Rahul Dravid was dropped from the ODI team in 2009, but was selected again for an ODI series inEngland in 2011, surprising even Dravid himself since, although he had not officially retired from ODI cricket, he had not expected to be recalled.[203][204][205] After being selected, he announced that he would retire from ODI cricket after the series.[203] He played his last ODI innings against England atSophia Gardens, Cardiff, on 16 September 2011, scoring 69 runs from 79 balls before beingbowled byGraeme Swann.[206] His last limited-overs international match was his debut T20I match; he announced his retirement before playing his first T20I match.[207]
My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity, and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride.
Dravid announced his retirement from Test and domestic cricket on 9 March 2012, after the2011–12 tour of Australia, but he said that he would captain theRajasthan Royals in the2012 Indian Premier League. He was the second-highest run scorer and had taken the highest number of catches in Test cricket at the time of his retirement.[209]
In July 2014, he played for the MCC side in theBicentenary Celebration match atLord's.[210]
Towards the end of his playing career, Dravid took on a role as mentor to theRajasthan Royals' IPL team in 2014.[211] During this time, he also became involved with the Indian national team, serving as mentor during the team's tour of England in 2014.[212] After leading the Royals to a third-place finish in the 2015 IPL season, he was appointed as the head coach of theIndia U-19 andIndia A teams.[213] Dravid achieved success as coach, with the U-19s reaching the finals of the2016 U-19 Cricket World Cup. Two years later, the team went on to win the2018 U-19 Cricket World Cup, defeating Australia by 8 wickets to win their fourth Under-19 World Cup, the most by any national side.[214] Dravid was credited with training future national team players includingRishabh Pant,Ishan Kishan andWashington Sundar.[215] Alongside his coaching roles, Dravid took on several mentor roles, including at theDelhi Daredevils IPL team.[216]
In July 2019, following his four-year stint as coach of the junior teams, Dravid was appointed Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).[217] He was in charge of "overseeing all cricket related activities at NCA was involved in mentoring, coaching, training and motivating players, coaches and support staff at the NCA". As head of NCA, he was praised for maintaining the senior team and revamping player fitness and rehabilitation regiments.[218][219]
In November 2021, he was appointed as head coach of theIndian national cricket team.[220]
Dravid had always been keen on further honing his batting skills in testing English conditions by playing in county cricket. He had discussed the prospects regarding the same with former New Zealand cricketer and incumbent Kent coach John Wright during India's 1998–99 tour of New Zealand. Wright was particularly impressed with Dravid's performance on that tour, especially with his twin hundreds at Hamilton. The talks finally materialized and Dravid made his county debut for Kent in April 2000. His co-debutant Ganguly made his county debuted in the same match, albeit for the opposite team.[221]
Kent's offer had come as a welcome change for Dravid. There was too much negativity surrounding Indian cricket marred by the match fixing controversy. Dravid himself had been struggling to score runs in Tests for a while.[35] The county stint gave him a chance to "get away to a new environment" and "relax". The wide variety of pitches and weather conditions in England and a full season of intense county cricket against professional cricketers gave him a chance to further his cricketing training.[221]
In his 2nd game for Kent, Dravid scored a 182 runs, propelling them to an innings and a 163-runs victory over the touring Zimbabwe team.[222] Out of 7 first class tour games that Zimbabwe played on that tour, Kent was the only team that defeated them. Dravid hit another fifty runs in a draw against Surrey. The newly appointed vice-captain had to leave the county championship temporarily, missing two championship games and two one-day games, to fulfill his national commitment. The Indian team, Dravid included, fared poorly in the Asia Cup and failed to qualify for the Final. Subsequently, Dravid returned to England to resume his county sojourn withKent.[35][221]
In July 2000, Kent's away match against Hampshire at Portsmouth was billed as a showdown between two great cricketers – Warne and Dravid. Dravid came out on top. On a dustbowl, tailor-made to suit home team spinners, Warne took 4 wickets but could not take Dravid's. Coming in to bat at 15/2, Dravid faced 295 balls, scoring 137 runs – his maiden hundred in county championships. Dravid scored 73 not out in the second innings, leading Kent to a six wicket victory as Warne went wicketless.
In their last county game of the season, Kent needed one bonus point to prevent themselves from being relegated to the Second Division. Dravid made sure they stayed put in the First Division by winning the necessary bonus point with an inning of 77 runs.
Dravid concluded a successful stint with Kent, aggregating 1,221 runs from 16 first-class matches (15 county games and 1 tour game against Zimbabwe) at an average of 55.50, including 2 hundreds and 8 fifties. He shouldered Kent's batting single-handedly as the second best Kent batsman. Dravid contributed to Kent's county campaign not only with the bat but also with his fielding and bowling, taking 14 catches and 4 wickets at an average of 32.00.
| RS Dravid's record in Twenty20 matches[223] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Matches | Runs | HS | 100s | 50s | Avg. |
| T20I[224] | 1 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 31.00 |
| IPL[225] | 89 | 2174 | 75* | 0 | 11 | 28.23 |
| CLT20[226] | 15 | 282 | 71 | 0 | 1 | 23.50 |
Rahul Dravid played forRoyal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2008, 2009 and 2010. Later he played for theRajasthan Royals and led them to the finals ofChampions League T20 in 2013, and play-offs of theIndian Premier League in 2013. Dravid announced retirement from Twenty20 after playing the2013 Champions League Twenty20 in September–October 2013.[227][228]
Dravid is known for his technique, and has been one of the most successful batsmen of the Indian cricket team.[229] Early in his career, he was known as a defensive batsman who was best at playing Test cricket, and was dropped from the ODI squad due to a low strike rate. However, he later improved his ability to score well in ODIs, earning him the ICC Player of the Year award.[230] His nickname of 'The Wall' inReebok advertisements is now used as his nickname.[231] Dravid scored 36 centuries inTest cricket, with an average of 52.31 and this included five double centuries. In one-dayers, he averaged 39.16, with a strike rate of 71.23.[232] He was one of the few Indians whose Test average was better while playing away than at home. Dravid's Test average abroad was 53.05, while his Test average at home was 51.35.[233] His ODI average abroad was 37.93[234] and his ODI average at home was 43.11.[235] Dravid averaged 65.78 in Indian Test victories[236] and 50.69 in ODIs.[237]
You cannot give him any bad balls or anything to get off strike... just pressure him early in the right spot. He is not like the other guys who love scoring off every ball, and there is no real weakness in his game either. He is mentally strong. You have just got to bowl well to him early on because he gets himself really set for a big innings once he is in.
Dravid's sole Test wicket was ofRidley Jacobs in the fourth Test match against the West Indies during the 2001–2002 series.[239] Dravid often kept wickets for India in ODIs.[240]
Dravid was involved in two of the largest partnerships in ODIs: a 318-run partnership withSourav Ganguly, the first pair to combine for a 300-run partnership,[241] and a 331-run partnership withSachin Tendulkar, which is a world record.[242] He also holds the record for the greatest number of innings played since debut before being dismissed for a duck. His highest scores in ODIs and Tests are 153 and 270, respectively.[243]
He was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2000.[244] Though primarily a defensive batsman, Dravid scored 50 runs not out in 22 balls (a strike rate of 227.27) against New Zealand in Hyderabad on 15 November 2003, the second fastest 50 among Indian batsmen.[245]
In 2004, Dravid was awarded thePadma Shri by theGovernment of India.[246] On 7 September 2004, he was awarded the inauguralPlayer of the year award and theTest player of the year award by theInternational Cricket Council (ICC).[247]
Indian people love to give their cricket heroes a nickname. As these things go, Rahul Dravid being known as 'The Wall' is pretty much spot on. 'The fortress' could also describe Rahul. Because once, Dravid was set, you needed the bowling equivalent of a dozen cannon firing all at once to blast him down.
After reaching the 10,000 Test runs milestone, he said, "It's a proud moment for sure. For me, growing up, I dreamt of playing for India. When I look back, I probably exceeded my expectations with what I have done over the last 10 to 12 years. I never had an ambition to do it because I never believed – it is just a reflection of my longevity in the game."[249]
Dravid is also one of only two batsmen to score 10,000 runs at a single batting position and is the fourth highest run scorer in Test cricket, behind Tendulkar, Ponting and Kallis.[250]
On 4 May 2003, Dravid married Vijeta Pendharkar, asurgeon fromNagpur.[262] They have two children: Samit, born in 2005,[263] and Anvay, born in 2009.[264]
Four biographies have been written on Rahul Dravid and his career:
| Preceded by | Indian Test captains 2005–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Indian One-Day captains 2005–2007 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by First | Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Position started | Royal Challengers Bangalore captain 2008 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Rajasthan Royals captain 2011–2013 | Succeeded by |
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