Rahul Dravid      

Rahul Dravid, a cricketer who seamlessly blends an old-world classicism with a new-age professionalism, is the best No. 3 batsman to play for India - and might even be considered one of the best ever by the time his career is done. He already averages around 60 at that position, more than any regular No. 3 batsman in the game's history, barring Don Bradman. Unusually for an Indian batsman, he also averages more overseas - around 60, again - than at home. But impressive as his statistics are, they cannot represent the extent of his importance to India, or the beauty of his batsmanship.

When Dravid began playing Test cricket, he was quickly stereotyped as a technically correct player capable of stonewalling against the best attacks - his early nickname was 'The Wall' - but of little else. As the years went by, though, Dravid, a sincere batsman who brought humility and a deep intelligence to his study of the game, grew in stature, finally reaching full blossom under Sourav Ganguly's captaincy. As a New India emerged, so did a new Dravid: first, he put on the wicketkeeping gloves in one-dayers, and transformed himself into an astute finisher in the middle-order; then, he strung together a series of awe-inspiring performances in Test matches, as India crept closer and closer to their quest of an overseas series win.

Dravid's golden phase began, arguably, in Kolkata 2001, with a supporting act, when he made 180 to supplement VVS Laxman's classic effort of 281 against Australia. But from then on, Dravid became India's most valuable player, saving them Tests at Port Elizabeth, Georgetown and Trent Bridge, winning them Tests at Headlingley, Adelaide, Kandy and Rawalpindi. At one point during this run, he carved up four centuries in successive innings, and hit four double-centuries in the space of 15 Tests, including in historic away-wins at Adelaide and Rawalpindi. As India finished off the 2004 Pakistan tour on a winning note, on the back of Dravid's epic 270, his average crept past Sachin Tendulkar's - and it seemed no aberration.

Dravid's amazing run was no triumph of substance over style, though, for he has plenty of both. A classical strokeplayer who plays every shot in the book, he often outscores team-mates like Tendulkar and Laxman in the course of partnerships with them, and while his pulling and cover-driving is especially breathtaking, he has every other shot in the book as well. He is both an artist and a craftsman, repeatedly constructing innings that stand out not merely for the beauty of their execution, but for the context in which they come. By the time he entered his 30s, Dravid was already in the pantheon of great Indian batsmen, alongside Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.

In October 2005, he was appointed captain the one-day side, began with a thumping 6-1 hammering of Sri Lanka in a home series, and was soon given responsibility of the Test side as well, taking over from the controversy-shrouded Sourav Ganguly. While his captaincy stint started encouragingly with ODI victories against Pakistan and England, it soon nosedived with an embarrassing defeat against Bangladesh which led to an early exit from the 2007 World Cup. As a Test team, though, India had plenty to celebrate under Dravid, winning their first Test in South Africa and achieving two historic away series wins in the West Indies and England. Dravid stepped down from the captaincy after the 2007 England tour. A poor run in a one-day series at home against Australia saw Dravid dropped from the subsequent series against Pakistan. His Test form suffered too through the next year, but he hit back in 2009, scoring consistently in New Zealand and notching up two centuries in the home series against Sri Lanka to end the decade on a high.
Amit Varma December 2009

• 1991-March 1996
  Formative years
  • On first-class debut against Maharashtra , Dravid makes himself heard by scoring 82. He knocks on the Test doors with 153 in the semi-finals and a double-hundred in the Ranji Trophy final in 1996.
    
• April 3, 1996
  International appearance
  • Dravid makes his one-day debut against Sri Lanka in Singapore, making just 3 in an Indian win.
    
• June 20-24, 1996
  Distinguished Test debut
  • An injury to Sanjay Manjrekar gives Dravid his India cap at Lord's five years after his first-class debut. He and Sourav Ganguly then light up the arena with a 94-run partnership. Ganguly scores a memorable hundred, but Dravid misses out by five runs, walking on a thin edge. "I was a bit disappointed, sure, but not all that much. In the sense, I was happy I scored 95 runs, I looked at it as a cup half full, instead of half empty," Dravid says later.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 1 of 10 Next »
• January 16-20, 1997
  Maiden hundred
  • India enter the bullring for the third Test against South Africa at the Wanderers after being walloped in the first two. Dravid, batting at No.3, settles down after a nervous start and cuts, pulls, and drives his way to a masterclass. His 148, with 21 fours, helps India post a healthy 410, and in the second innings he hits 81, with 11 fours, as India make a sporting declaration. Despite a valiant effort from Srinath, bad light allows South Africa, eight wickets down, to escape with a draw. But Dravid, adjudged the Man of the Match, restores India's pride.
    
• May 21, 1997
  Maiden ODI hundred in lost cause
  • In the famous Saeed Anwar match in Chennai, Dravid sustains India with his maiden hundred in ODIs but his dismissal triggers the end.
    
• January 2-6, 1999
  Double impact
  • Becomes the third Indian to score a century in each innings, against New Zealand in Hamilton. With another marathon effort - 490 minutes, 354 balls, and 31 fours - Dravid comes to India's rescue. From a shaky 17 for 2, Dravid, with Sachin Tendulkar, lifts India out of the hole. In the second essay, set an improbable 415, India stumble to 55 for 2 but Dravid stars again, with a 136-ball 103 and in the company of Ganguly helps India draw the game. Dravid becomes the third Indian after Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar to achieve the feat.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 2 of 10 Next »
• May 26, 1999
  Into the record books
  • Against Sri Lanka in Taunton during the 1999 World Cup, Dravid scores 145 out of a stand of 318 in 45 overs with Ganguly, which is the highest in any ODI. Dravid establishes himself as the pacemaker, reaching his second successive hundred at almost a run a ball.
    
• November 8, 1999
  History again
  • Against New Zealand, Dravid makes his highest ODI score and helps break the record he and Ganguly made in the World Cup. Dravid, with a run-a-ball 153, partners Tendulkar and the pair adds 331 in 46 overs as India post their then-highest total of 376 for 2.
    
• Summer 2000
  County cricket comes calling
  • Dravid turns out for Kent, and guess who the club's coach is? John Wright of course. There is a meeting of minds, and the rest is history. "The arrival of Rahul Dravid to enhance our batting is a major boost. It is great news to have a batsman of Dravid's class in the team," Wright declares. Dravid tops the Kent averages with 1,039 runs at 49.48.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 3 of 10 Next »
• November 18-22, 2000
  Double joy
  • After Andy Flower sweeps his way to 183 in Delhi, Dravid responds with 200, off 350 balls with 27 fours, and follows up with a breezy 91-ball 70 in the second innings, adding 110 runs for the third wicket with Ganguly, as India chase down the target of 190 in 37.3 overs with 9.3 overs and seven wickets to spare. Another century - 162 in the second Test and the fact that he was dismissed only once in the series, gives him an astounding series average of 432.
    
• March 11-15, 2001
  The match
  • No Indian fan can ever forget Kolkata in 2001. Dismissed by Shane Warne twice in three innings and demoted to No.6, Dravid has a point to prove. In the second innings, he joins VVS Laxman, with India still needing 42 runs to avoid an innings defeat, and lifts India from ignominy to incredible triumph. Warne is creamed for 41 runs in 51 balls.
    
• June-September 2002
  The great run-fest
  • Four centuries on a trot. Three against England - 115 in the second Test , 148 in the third in a match India win, 217 - his first double hundred against England - in the fourth Test - and then follows them up with an unbeaten 100 against West Indies .
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 4 of 10 Next »
• October 16-20, 2003
  First taste of captaincy
  • Against New Zealand in Mohali, Dravid stands in for the indisposed Ganguly. In the drawn first Test, he compiles a mammoth 222 but, in the second, fails with the bat (1 and 5) and generally has a nightmarish Test as a captain. Despite centuries from Laxman and Sehwag, India are forced to follow-on after four top-order centuries see New Zealand run away to 630. However, India manage to draw the game.
    
• December 2003-January 2004
  Bring on the Aussies
  • The Dravid and Laxman show hits the road again in the second Test against Australia. After Australia amass 556, the duo come together just after tea on the second day and are not separated till the last over before tea on the third, by which time they add 303 for the fifth wicket , and power India to 523. After Ajit Agarkar comes up with his best performance to lay the foundation for a win, Dravid again stars in the second essay, remaining unbeaten on 72, taking India to a famous win. He also hits 90 plus scores in the remaining two Tests to top the Indian averages - 619 runs at a staggering 123.80.
    
• April 13-17, 2004
  Fun in Pindi
  • After two quiet Tests he explodes in the third Test with his highest score yet - a magnificent 270, paving the way for a series win against Pakistan.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 5 of 10 Next »
• November 3-7, 2004
  Last man standing
  • A minefield awaits the two teams, with the series already in Australia's bag, in the last last Test. While the Indian top-order is whipped by a rampaging Jason Gillespie, Dravid, leading the side, holds one end up. Groping with the demons in the pitch, he is the only Indian batsman to bat more than 100 deliveries and is left stranded on 31. Sparkling half-centuries from Laxman and Tendulkar in the second innings set up the game for Harbhajan and Murali Kartik to spin India to a thrilling 13-run win.
    
• December 17-21, 2004
  First man in history
  • A 160 against Bangladesh in Chittagong, 2004 gives him a unique record - he is the first player to score centuries in all Test-playing countries. And until the ICC decides to give some new country Test status, Dravid's record can only be equalled, not broken.
    
• March 16-20, 2005
  Pakistan run into the wall, again
  • He lights up Eden Gardens again, with centuries in both innings (110 and 135) to charge India to a 195-run victory over Pakistan. A 122-run partnership with Tendulkar in the first innings and a stirring 165-run stand with Dinesh Karthik (93) in the second sets up an Indian win. In the second innings, Sehwag, Tendulkar and Ganguly fall early while Laxman retires hurt with a swollen left eyebrow, courtesy a snorter from Mohammad Sami, to leave India shaking at 156 for 4 before Dravid unleashes his special. He guides his young partner and they set up the game for Kumble, who sends Pakistan hurtling to a big defeat.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 6 of 10 Next »
• November 22, 2005
  And... here comes the captain
  • After a dramatic period involving leaked emails and public spats, Dravid is appointed as the captain for the Test series against Sri Lanka. "It's time for us to look ahead," Kiran More, chairman of the selection panel, declared as the curtains came down on the captaincy saga of Ganguly.
    
• January 13-17, 2006
  First hundred as a captain
  • Hits a hundred in a run-fest in Lahore, and is involved in a mammoth 410-run first-wicket stand with Virender Sehwag. He follows up with another century in the next Test.
    
• June 30-July 2, 2006
  Dravid's one-man show delivers the Holy Grail
  • At Sabina Park, the colossal figure of Dravid - who passed 9000 Test runs along the way - sets the foundation for India's second series victory in the Caribbean, 35 long years after Ajit Wadekar and his men had seen off the challenge posed by Sir Garfield Sobers and friends. Without Dravid's two masterful efforts the result would probably have been reversed. If his 81 on the first day is executed with a shield - he dodges the dangerous deliveries and keeps out the straight ones - his second-innings 68 is played with a sword.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 7 of 10 Next »
• February 14, 2007
  10,000 ODI runs
  • With a drive to long-on for a single, Dravid becomes
    
• March 17, 2007
  Ousted by Bangladesh
  • One of the toughest defeats of his career, as India go down by five wickets against Bangladesh in the World Cup. Another defeat against Sri Lanka - despite Dravid's 60 - against Sri Lanka a week later means India are dumped out of the World Cup.
    
• July-August, 2007
  An Indian summer
  • Under Dravid, India tour England and win their first Test series in England since 1986, albeit 1-0. Just one fifty in six innings is average by any standards, more so if your standards are as high Dravid's. But as captain he is blessed with luck: winning the toss in two of the three Tests, one of which produces a decisive result.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 8 of 10 Next »
• September 14, 2007
  Dravid resigns as captain
  • In a letter written to the Indian board, Dravid asks to be relieved of the captaincy before Australia's tour later in the month. Under his captaincy India win eight Tests, including series wins in the West Indies, Bangladesh and England. However, his ODI record is patchy: he begins on a winning streak, where India set a record for 16 consecutive successful chases. But then India exit the 2007 World Cup in the first round and lose the NatWest series to England 4-3.
    
• October 27, 2007
  Dropped from ODIs
  • Dravid is left out of the squad to face Pakistan in a five-match series. His ODI career appears over.
    
• December 20, 2008
  Happy to be contributing again
  • Dravid ends a wretched 2008 with his 26th Test century, a dogged, stonewalling effort against England in Mohali.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 9 of 10 Next »
• August 16, 2009
  A call for help
  • In response to India's woes against short-pitched bowling in the summer of 2009, the selectors recall Dravid after nearly two years for a tri-series in Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy. He is dropped less than a month later.
    
Read All »
« Prev Showing 10 of 10 Next »