Birthday special: Rahul Dravid – Top five knocks by India’s Mr. Dependable

Throughout his cricket career, Rahul Dravid lived up to his nickname, The Wall, as he scored plenty of runs whenever India were in trouble. The batsman who relied more on hard work than cricketing aptitude ended his international career with more than 24000+ runs to his name. As the legend celebrates his 48th birthday, let’s flip the pages and revisit some of the remarkable knocks played by him.

145 vs Sri Lanka, Taunton, 1999

Rahul Dravid had shouldered the responsibility of scoring runs for the team in a group match of ICC World Cup 1999 with opening batsman Sourav Ganguly. Asked to bat first, Rahul Dravid smashed 145 runs off 129 deliveries while Ganguly added 183 runs to the scoreboard as India reached a massive total of 373 in 50 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka were bundled out for a total of 216 as the seamer Robin Singh picked a five-wicket haul.

? 26 May 1999
? Taunton
? Sri Lanka

The day Rahul Dravid hit a mammoth 145 off 129 balls at the Cricket World Cup! ? pic.twitter.com/nEenRYFyfh

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) January 11, 2019

153 against New Zealand, Hyderabad, 1999

After losing the first ODI of the five-match series, India entered the second game in a hope of levelling the series. Winning the toss, India posted 376 on the board at a loss of 2 wickets. Rahul Dravid played one of the most amazing knocks of his cricket career. Dravid collected 153 runs off 153 deliveries including 15 boundaries and 2 maximums. He was aptly supported by Tendulkar who played a remarkable knock of 186 runs. The two players together helped India in winning the game by a whopping 174 runs.

270 vs Pakistan, Rawalpindi, 2003

Dravid smashed his highest-ever score in the purest format of the game, 270 against Pakistan in the series decider at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in April 2004. Put to bat first, the hosts managed a score of 224 on the board. In reply, Dravid launched an assault on Pakistan’s bowling line-up as he played a remarkable knock of 270 off 495 deliveries after the top-order failed to perform. As a result, India posted a mammoth total of 600 runs on the board and they didn’t have to bat again as they won by an innings. Dravid was rightfully adjudged the man of the match.

180 vs Australia, Kolkata, 2001

Australia were one of the favourite opponents of Rahul Dravid as in 2001 while playing at Eden Gardens in the 2nd Test, he had played a classic Test knock by amassing a whopping 180 runs off 353 deliveries. Australia had scored 445 runs in the first innings while India could make only 171 runs. Asked to follow-on, VVS Laxman and Dravid stitched a crucial partnership of 376 runs to help India reach a score of 657 and win the game by a stunning margin of 171 runs.

233 vs Australia, Adelaide, 2003

Playing in the second Test of the four-match series against Australia in 2003, Dravid made full use of the batting-friendly pitch of Adelaide Oval as he registered another double-hundred. Batting first, Australia posted a total of 556 runs riding on the remarkable knock of 242 runs by captain Ricky Ponting. However, India didn’t have to worry as their wicketkeeper-batsman once again stepped up to take responsibility by smashing 233 runs. India won the marquee game by 4 wickets.

So much class! Enjoy this epic knock from batting maestro Rahul Dravid at the Adelaide Oval in 2003.

Read his Legends Month profile HERE: https://t.co/oIdQ3TZaZQ pic.twitter.com/YkHx4Oluxe

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) May 18, 2018