Milestones during Rahul Dravid’s illustrious career
Sriram Veera17-Mar-2006
Rahul Dravid at Lord’s, 1996: a debut to remember © Getty Images
Formative years
Attends a summer coaching camp in 1984 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore where he impresses Keki Tarapore, former cricketer-turned coach and in 1991 makes his first-class debut against Maharashtra, scoring 82. He knocks on the Test doors with 153 in the semi-finals and a double hundred in the Ranji Trophy finals in 1996.Debut v England, Lord’s, 1996
An injury to Sanjay Manjrekar gives Dravid his India cap 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 5 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.Maiden hundred v South Africa, Wanderers, 1996
India enter the bullring for the third Test against South Africa 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 master class. 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, had restored India’s pride.Second ton, in his 23rd Test v Zimbabwe, Harare Sports Club, 1998
Dravid bails India out of trouble, albeit temporarily, grinding out 423 minutes at the crease for his dour 300-ball 118. And in the second innings, chasing 235 for victory, he again top scores with 44 but, with only Ganguly (36) crossing 25, India crumble for 173.Third Indian to score century in each innings v New Zealand, Hamilton, 1999
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 to 126 and after Tendulkar’s dismissal he adds another 205 runs with the tailenders pulling 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.County cricket comes calling Plays for Kent, 2000
Guess who is Kent’s coach? 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.Double joy – maiden double-century v Zimbabwe, 2000
After Andy Flower sweeps his way to 183, 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
That winning feeling – Dravid celebrates in style after his match-turning hundred in Kolkata against Australia © Getty Images
match v Australia, Kolkata, 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.The great run-fest v England, 2002
Four centuries on a trot. Three against England – 115 in the second Test , 148 in the third -Tendulkar and Ganguly score tons as well and Kumble then spins India to a series-leveling win and also, this marks the only occasion when Dravid is out stumped in his career, 217 – his first double hundred against England – in the fourth Test – and then follows them up with an unbeaten 100 against West Indies , which along with Virender Sehwag’s ton sets up a launching pad for Zaheer Khan, in the first innings, and Harbhajan Singh, in the second, to bowl India to a win.First taste of captaincy v New Zealand, Mohali, 2003
Stands in for the indisposed Ganguly as the captain in the second Test against New Zealand.. In the drawn first Test, he compiled 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.Bring on the Aussies v Australia, Adelaide, 2004
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.Fun in Pindi v Pakistan, Rawalpindi, 2004
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..Last man standing v Australia, Mumbai, 2004
A minefield awaits the two teams, with the series already in Australia’s bag, in the 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.First man in history v Bangladesh, Chittagong, 2004
A 160 against Bangladesh 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.
First hundred as captain – an unbeaten 128 at Lahore © Getty Images
Pakistan run into the wall, again v Pakistan, Kolkata, 2005
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.And… here comes the captain v Sri Lanka, 2005
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.First hundred as a captain v Pakistan, 2006
Hits a hundred in a run-fest at Lahore in his third Test, eight if you include his earlier stand-in jobs, as a captain. He follows up with another century in the next Test.99th Test and a missed ton v England, 2006
Top scores with 95 in the first innings and oversees brilliant performances from the debutant Munaf Patel and the veteran Kumble, who share eight wickets between them in the second innings, to hasten England’s capitulation.