It is Rahul Dravid’s birthday! The Wall as he is fondly remembered is celebrating his 45th birthday today and we take a look back at the top five moments of his career on the pitch.
1. Maiden Test ton
148 vs South Africa at Johannesburg, 3rd Test, Jan 16-20, 1997
Dravid emerged on the cricketing scene during the England tour of 1996 but his maiden test hundred came against South Africa a year later, when he scored a gritty 148 at Johannesburg. Taking on the formidable South African attack of Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Brian McMillan, the knock foreshadowed what was to come as he batted through the innings, a feat he replicated on more than one occasion in his Test career. He wasn’t done yet as he scored 81 in the second innings to propel India to a commanding position in the match. Set 356 to win, South Africa was struggling at 228-8 when the rain gods intervened and the match ended in a draw.
2. Top-scorer at the 1999 World Cup
145 vs Sri Lanka, ICC World Cup at Taunton, May 26, 1999
Dravid is remembered more for his long, gritty Test innings’ but he also scored 12 one-day international hundreds, including two at his first World Cup in 1999. Taking the field for India against England at Taunton, Dravid combined with Saurav Ganguly for a mammoth 318-run stand scoring 145 in the process. It was his second consecutive hundred in the tournament, where he ended as the top scorer.
3. Bats all day long
180 vs Australia, 2nd Test, Kolkata, March 11-15, 2001
The test match against Australia at Kolkata in 2001 is part of Indian cricketing folklore now. Following on against an Australian team that had won 16 test matches in a row and were aiming for a record 17th win, India were left in a tricky position at 254/4 at the end of Day 3 with Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman at the crease.
The pair batted through one entire day of test match cricket on the fourth day to turn the game on its head. While Laxman scored 281 which was then the highest score by an Indian in Test cricket surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s 236, Dravid provided able support with a solid 180. India’s bowlers inspired by a Harbhajan Singh hat-trick then went on to win the game in dramatic fashion, in the last session on day 5.
4. Highest Test score
270 vs Pakistan, 3rd Test, Rawalpindi, April 13-16, 2004
2004 was a glorious year in Dravid’s career as he won both the ICC Player of the Year and Test Player of the Year awards after plundering centuries against New Zealand, Australia and Pakistan during this period. His 270 against Pakistan at Rawalpindi came at a time when India and Pakistan had just resumed cricketing ties. The innings helped India take the lead to over 600 and helped the team clinch the series 2-1.
5. Victory down under
233 and 72* vs Australia, 2nd Test, Adelaide, December 12-16, 2003
Perhaps his best ever performance came at Adelaide in 2003 when Dravid and Laxman reunited to put Australia to the sword again. India were struggling at 85-4 in reply to Australia’s total of 556 when the duo got together at the crease. If Kolkata was Laxman’s show, Adelaide became Dravid’s stage as he scored a terrific 233, reaching his century with a six and double century with a boundary. Ajit Agarkar then bowled a dream spell to dismiss Australia for 196 in the second innings. Chasing 230 to win, Dravid was among the runs again as he scored 72 not out and took India to a memorable win.
Honorable Mention
103* vs England Lord’s, 1st Test, July 21-25, 2011
Having already made three test centuries in England at Headingly, Trent Bridge and The Oval, Rahul Dravid managed to score the elusive century at Lord’s to become only the eighth Indian to put his name up on the iconic honours board at the stadium.
The honours board contains the names of cricketers who score a century or take a five-wicket-haul. Dravid’s 103* was one of three centuries he scored in the series and he remained one of the few shining lights in an otherwise forgettable series which India lost 4-0.