Rahul Dravid Birthday Special: Have a look at 3 memorable tests knock by him
Indian cricketing legend Rahul Dravid is set to have a hectic 49th birthday on Tuesday as India plays the opening day of the series decider against South Africa in Cape Town.
The ongoing series is tied 1-1 with India aiming to win a series on South African soil for the first time in history. Dravid could achieve the unique feat of being the first Indian coach to win a Test series in the Rainbow Nation.
Dravid took over the head coach’s job in the senior Men’s Indian cricket team in November last year after Ravi Shastri’s tenure at the helm came to an end following the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE.
On his birthday, here is a look at the three best knocks played by Dravid in Test cricket during his illustrious playing career.
1) Eden Gardens 2000 vs Australia- 180
India’s victory against Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2000 is arguably their greatest ever win in Test cricket history and Dravid was at the center of it. After the visitors imposed a follow-on on Sourav Ganguly & Co., Dravid alongside VVS Laxman put up a partnership that remains immortal in Indian cricket history.
The duo put up a 386-run stand to completely change the dynamics of the game. Laxman made a score of 280, which was at the time the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batter.
Meanwhile, Dravid played a splendid knock that saw him score 180 runs. Ultimately, India managed to win the game by 171 runs and level the series 1-1 and win the series by clinching the next game in Chennai.
2) Adelaide Oval 2003 vs Australia- 233
Rahul Dravid was once again the star against Australia as India produced one of their finest performances away from home at the Adelaide Oval in 2003. Despite Australia batting first and scoring a massive score of 566, India made a strong fightback with Dravid and Laxman being the catalyst again.
This time Dravid led the way with a superb knock of 233 while Laxman made 148 as part of a 303 partnership. Ultimately, India needed 233 to win and Dravid ensured India got home comfortably with an unbeaten knock of 72. Ganguly’s side won the match by four wickets.
3) Rawalpindi 2004 vs Pakistan
Just a few months after his Adelaide heroics, Dravid scored another vital double-century against arch-rivals Pakistan at Rawalpindi. The match was a vital one for both sides as a three-match series was tied 1-1 coming into it.
India made the best use of winning the toss and fielding first as they dismissed Pakistan for just 224 runs. The Indian response was near perfect as the visitors put up a massive total of 600 on the board. Dravid scored the highest Test score of his century with a knock of 270.
In response, Pakistan folded for just 245 and lost by a massive margin of 131 runs. This ensured India’s first-ever Test series victory on Pakistan soil.
By line : Divya Thearia