Whether you’re a cricket fan or aren’t, you’ve no doubt heard of Rahul Dravid. He’s one of the greatest Test match batsmen in history, a gentleman and a classy character, but did you know he also took a wicket? Here are a few reasons why Rahul Dravid deserves your appreciation. We’ll look at his batting in Test matches, his cricket career and his mentoring.
Rahul Dravid is regarded as one of the greatest Test match batsmen in the history of the game
The Indian cricket team selected Rahul Dravid as their captain in the 2007 World Cup. Dravid scored a brilliant 270 not out, but he was out soon after by a reverse sweep. India won the match, and Dravid was declared the man of the match. A cricketing legend, he commanded his team well and was a great ambassador of the sport.
In his 164 Test matches, Dravid faced over 31,258 dot deliveries, a record that has been unmatched by any other batsman. This average rate of 190.6 has no equal in Test match history. Dravid is regarded as a tough player with a well-curated Test cricket temperament. Despite being regarded as one of the greatest Test match batsmen in history, there’s no way he’ll ever reach his record.
Born on January 11, 1973, Rahul Dravid played international cricket for India for 16 years. He has scored over 13,000 Test match runs and averaged more than fifty in his career. Known as ‘The Wall’, he specialized in putting together big totals and displayed great concentration and technical ability. His Test match career was regarded as an elite level, and his numbers are higher than those of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar combined.
The world of cricket changes every minute. Test cricket is changing at a fast pace, and the players are not spending as much time at the crease as they used to. Rahul Dravid, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Mohapatra are some of the few remaining players who like to spend time at the crease, and their longevity should be commended.
He is a gentleman
When it comes to cricket, Rahul Dravid is the personification of class. His class and integrity have been exemplary throughout his career and beyond. He’s a true gentleman, who has not only remained true to his principles, but maintained them in retirement. A good example of this is when Dravid visited a gas agency to get a new connection, and then used his second shirt for the rest of the tour.
Despite his illustrious career and acclaim from all corners, he remained a gentleman in all respects. He never complained about his bad days, preferring to read or go out for a night out rather than sit around. He also recognized his declining abilities during his twilight years, and worked double as hard as he did in his prime to keep himself in tip-top shape.
Apart from his outstanding achievements in cricket, Rahul was a true gentleman. Whether it was in the field or off it, Dravid always tried to go the extra mile. He never accepted half measures, and was a perfectionist in all aspects of his game. As a result, Dravid played in all forms of cricket with class and dignity. As a cricket legend, he deserves to be known as Sir Rahul Dravid.
He is a classical Test match batsman
The great batsman Rahul Dravid is a true classic. His career spanned over 17 years and saw him score 13,200 runs in Test matches. Throughout his career, Dravid was the calm savior of his team and a safe bet in the slips or gully. Even after retirement, he continued to give his all for Indian Cricket.
Rahul Dravid is a man who played some of the greatest innings of his career. His 233 runs in the first innings against Australia in 2003 marked a remarkable match-winning effort. It was the first time that India had won a Test match in Australia since 1991. Rahul Dravid’s 233 in the first innings and 72 in the second negated Ricky Ponting’s innings and was remembered by every Indian.
In 2007, Dravid was selected in the Indian ODI squad to play Pakistan. Despite his recent ODI form, many believe that Dravid is close to calling his ODI career over. Despite his dazzling batting, his short-pitched bowling has kept him out of the national team for the last two years. However, Dravid was dropped from the ODI team for almost two years, and had to wait for his selection in the Champions Trophy and tri-series against Sri Lanka.
A Martian would have the same opinion about Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. The former captain of India’s senior men’s national team, the under-19 team and the A side, scored 24177 runs in international cricket. He is often referred to as Mr. Dependable and a “classic” Test match batsman. There are many other factors that make a cricketer a great candidate for selection.
He took a wicket in Test cricket
After making his debut for India in 1997, Rahul Dravid is known for his impressive batting skills. His wicket-taking ability is a major asset in test cricket, where he is considered one of the best in the world. He has taken 31258 wickets, the most by any player in Test cricket. In total, he has played 44152 innings in Test cricket. In April 2011, Dravid announced his retirement from Test cricket, saying “the time is right”. The retirement came in the middle of India’s tour of Australia. At the time of his retirement, he was the second-highest run-scorer and the highest wicket taker in Test cricket.
In Antigua in 2002, Dravid took his first Test wicket. He was catching Gary Kirsten, who would go on to coach him. He then foxed Lance Klusener, inviting him to play at a flighted delivery. After a successful catch, Dravid finished with three wickets, including one of the wicket-taking records in Test cricket.
Dravid’s Test career has had some ups and downs. He has played 16 games for India, winning 15 of them. But he hasn’t been politically appealing. But the performance he put on that day brought India back into the game. As a batsman, Dravid has piled up tons of runs, and his batting performance has been praised by both critics and fans.
He was a wicket keeper
A good cricketer may not have had a specialization in wicketkeeping, but Rahul Dravid made a significant contribution to the Indian team during his time as a wicketkeeper. While he believed that wicketkeeping was not his cup of tea, Dravid took up the challenge as a way to gain a place in the team. During his time as a wicketkeeper, Dravid was responsible for 74 dismissals, 71 catches and 13 stumpings, and has the fourth highest number of dismissals in ODI cricket (MS Dhoni is the top).
While many have admired Dravid’s wicket-keeping performances, there are some issues that have bedeviled the former India captain. He was not a natural wicket keeper, which meant that the Indian team preferred him as an extra batsman rather than a professional wicketkeeper. But despite the setbacks in his batting, Dravid was still a valuable player in the side, and the Indians were fortunate that they had him as a wicket keeper for some time.
When he first debuted with the Indian team against England in 2005, Rahul Dravid was in his prime. After an incredible 6 hours of batting, Dravid nicks a swinging delivery off Chris Lewis to the keeper. Before the umpire could raise his finger, he made his way back to the pavilion. He finished five runs short of his debut test century.
He was a captain
Rahul Dravid made his international debut for India in 1996 and has since represented his country in 164 Tests, 344 ODIs and one T20I. Despite the loss of the Mumbai Test, he continues to contribute to the Indian game. Dravid was known as a Test specialist, but his approach was textbook. He had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a patience that endeared him to the Indian crowd.
As a captain, Dravid has the responsibility of rebuilding the Indian cricket team. Unlike Virat Kohli, Dravid was tough without being crude or boorish. Dravid commanded respect and shrewdly handled situations. He also fought for the team in terms of winning, a quality that Kohli did not possess. In fact, if Dravid had been given Rohit Sharma, India would have had eight captains, a record that could rival the record of the greatest team in history.
Before becoming a captain, Dravid served as the head of the NCA and as the coach of the Indian A and U-19 sides. He also worked to develop the young talents of India, and oversee the development of many stars. The Indian cricket team has a long way to go without Dravid. In the meantime, Dravid will remain a respected and popular figure in the game.
