Rahul Dravid is hailed as India’s most
dependable batsman. Dravid, who started his cricket at 12, grew up playing in
the streets of Bangalore. His school, St. Joseph’s had a good team and Dravid
did well in the junior tournaments to get selected in the State under-15,
under-17 and under-19 tournaments. Dravid was fortunate to have someone like
G.R. Vishvanath to help him. In 1996 in England he almost alone of the younger
Indian batsman, proved to have the technique to cope with conditions that aided
seam and swing. Rahul has been one of the pillars of the Indian batting
with his blend of technical proficiency, patience and stylish strokes.
A number of times he has bailed India
out of trouble and to top it win it for India. There isn’t another player in
World Cricket who has performed so consistently in crunch situations as much as
Dravid. Dravid has matured so much as a cricketer over the years that even the
former greats; hail him as one of the best technicians and crisis man of all
eras. Having a cricketer like Dravid adds such an assurance to the entire team
as well as the supporters. The top order thought that they can play the way
they want knowing that Dravid is there to stop any possible hiccups. The lower
order was always calm to see Dravid ‘The Wall’ on the crease.
He was so different. Staid, studious,
sweat trickling down that austere face. When he was captain, his answers seemed,
so rehearsed. What a value-add he was to the Star team!
For sheer consistency, Dravid has few
equals. He has maintained a Test career average of over 50. Dravid is very much
like the batsman who likes to play his shots, mostly on the rise, relying more
on timing than brute force. His temperament is exemplary and his concentration
legendary. A batsman who revels in crisis, Dravid against New Zealand in
January 1999, joined the ranks of Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar as one of
only three Indians to have scored a century in each innings in a Test.
He is one of the modest, unassuming and
well-behaved players of Indian cricket time. Most recently he has been awarded
the Wisden Test Player Award for his excellent performance in the previous
season. A cool head over the shoulder makes him the most sought player on the
cricketing world arena.
Full name: Rahul
Sharad Dravid
Born: January
11, 1973, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Major teams: India, Asia XI, ICC World XI, Karnataka, Kent,
Marylebone Cricket Club, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Nickname: The
Wall, Mr. Dependable, Jammy
Batting style: Right-hand
bat
Bowling style: Right-arm
offbreak
Education: St.
Joseph's Boys' High School
Some stats of
Dravid:
Rahul Sharad Dravid became the 207th
player to represent India in Test matches
1999 edition of the ICC World Cup in
England: With 461 runs from 8 games that India played, Dravid emerged as the
highest run getter in the tournament.
Rahul Dravid became the only Indian to
score four centuries in consecutive innings when he brought up his hundred in
Mumbai against West Indies. His previous three hundreds, 115, 148 and 217, came
on India's tour of England in 2002.
Rahul Dravid was awarded the Padma Shree
Award by the Government of India in 2004.
One of the most prolific achievements of
Dravid's long and illustrious career was being awarded the ICC Player of the
Year and the Test Player of the Year at the inaugural awards ceremony held in
2004.
Till date, Rahul Dravid is the only
batsman to have registered a hundred in every Test paying nation. He achieved
this rare feat during his century knock against Bangladesh in Chittagong in
December 2004.
Rahul Dravid became only the sixth
batsmen in the history of ODI cricket to scale the 10,000 peak.
Rahul Dravid became only the sixth
batsman in Test history to enter the 10,000 club during his century knock at
Chepauk against South Africa in 2007.
During India's dismal tour of England in
2011, Dravid became only the third Indian to carry his bat through an innings
during his knock of unbeaten 146 in the fourth Test at The Oval.
He is only cricketer to have made his
debut and retired in the same game in T20 cricket.
Rahul Dravid became only the second
cricketer, after Sachin Tendulkar, to accumulate 13,000 runs in Test cricket.
He achieved this feat in his 160th Test.
Dravid finished with 13,288 runs at an
average of 52.31 from 164 Test matches.
In a rare achievement for a batsman, out
of his first 32 hundreds, only one came in a losing cause.
Dravid became the first player to score
10,000 runs in Test cricket at the number three position.
Rahul Dravid is the only non-Australian
cricketer to address the Bradman Oration. He delivered the Bradman Oration last
year on December 14 at the War memorial in Canberra.
After the legendary Don Bradman, Rahul
Dravid, during India's tour of England in 2011, became only the second
non-English cricketer to have hit 3 or more centuries in a two different test series.
World Records of
Dravid:
Rahul Dravid holds the world record for
facing the most number of deliveries in Test cricket - 31,258 .
There have been only two 300+
partnerships in the history of ODI cricket and both have featured Rahul Dravid!
Dravid added 318 runs with Sourav Ganguly against Sri Lanka at Taunton during
the 1999 World Cup to register the then highest partnership record for any
wicket. Six months down the line, he bettered that record with none other than
Sachin Tendulkar as two scripted together the mammoth 331 run-stand against New
Zealand at Hyderabad.
Rahul Dravid holds the world record for
most number of catches, 210, by a non-wicket-keeper fielder in Test cricket. In
fact, he is the only one with a double century of catches. He picked up his
200th catch in the Durban test against South Africa in December 2010, after
catching Dale Steyn off Harbhajan Singh
Rahul Dravid holds the world record for
being involved in most number of century stands in Test cricket. In fact, 19 of
his 88 century partnerships have been with a single partner, Sachin Tendulkar,
another world record for a pair.
Dravid holds the Indian record for 93
successive matches without missing any Test since debut. In fact, he held the
world record for 93 matches until Adam Gilchrist overtook him.
Rahul Dravid holds the world record for
most number of consecutive innings (120) without scoring a duck.
We miss you Jammy......
