In a move that would sadden cricket fans around the world, Indian run-machine Rahul Dravid announced his retirement from international and domestic First Class cricket.
He finishes his prolific 16-year international career having scored the second-most runs in Tests and seventh-most in ODIs, but before he had the chance to see his team set right their recent rotten run in Test cricket.
Dravid, who had turned 39 in January, had informally informed Yahoo! of his decision on Thursday, but made the formal announcement before the media on Friday noon at his home venue, Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium.
"I leave with sadness, but also with pride," he said, reading from a statement, with BCCI president N Srinivasan and former India captain and statemate Anil Kumble sitting next to him. Also at the press conference were his wife Vijeta, and sons Samit and Anvay.
"I was comfortable with what I had achieved. Deep down, I felt the time was right to move on and let the youngsters take over."
"When I started, I could never imagine that this long journey will take me so far," Dravid said. "In the Indian team I was fortunate to be part of a wonderful era. Many of my team-mates have become legends, not just in India but in the wider world... I leave the game with wonderful memories and great friendships."
Saddening as Dravid’s decision is, it was not unexpected. With each of India’s eight Test defeats abroad, the calls to replace India’s aging greats have grown louder. Dravid, who had started his Test career with a bang at Lord’s in 1996, finished with a whimper. He made 194 runs in eight innings in Australia, passing fifty once and was bowled six times, antithetical to the time when he seemed to have the broadest bat in the game.
He finishes his prolific 16-year international career having scored the second-most runs in Tests and seventh-most in ODIs, but before he had the chance to see his team set right their recent rotten run in Test cricket.
Dravid, who had turned 39 in January, had informally informed Yahoo! of his decision on Thursday, but made the formal announcement before the media on Friday noon at his home venue, Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium.
"I leave with sadness, but also with pride," he said, reading from a statement, with BCCI president N Srinivasan and former India captain and statemate Anil Kumble sitting next to him. Also at the press conference were his wife Vijeta, and sons Samit and Anvay.
"I was comfortable with what I had achieved. Deep down, I felt the time was right to move on and let the youngsters take over."
"When I started, I could never imagine that this long journey will take me so far," Dravid said. "In the Indian team I was fortunate to be part of a wonderful era. Many of my team-mates have become legends, not just in India but in the wider world... I leave the game with wonderful memories and great friendships."
Saddening as Dravid’s decision is, it was not unexpected. With each of India’s eight Test defeats abroad, the calls to replace India’s aging greats have grown louder. Dravid, who had started his Test career with a bang at Lord’s in 1996, finished with a whimper. He made 194 runs in eight innings in Australia, passing fifty once and was bowled six times, antithetical to the time when he seemed to have the broadest bat in the game.
Profile
It’s hard to plot Rahul Dravid on the graph of
cricketing greats. There has rarely been a historic Indian win without a
vital contribution from ‘The Wall’, yet, playing in the Tendulkar era,
his achievements have been eclipsed by the blinding presence of the
great ‘Little Master’.
One of three prominent Karnataka cricketers to make their mark in the
90s, along with Kumble and Srinath, Dravid seemed like he was born out
of a batting text book with a strikingly “copybook” technique. In an age
where batsmen were innovating and tweaking the norm as the game
evolved, Dravid stuck by the methods that he was blooded with. His
earliest Test impact of note following a 95 on debut was against South
Africa in 1997, when he backed his maiden century (148) with a
half-century to lead India to a rare away draw. A series of impressive
knocks helped cement the foundation of ‘The Wall’. A lack of flamboyance
was his lone limitation during his formative years. Whilst effective in
Tests, it often frustrated fans in limited overs. A metamorphosis took
place during the 1999 World Cup, beyond which Dravid’s batting became a
marvellous sight to behold in all forms of the game. By 2002, he
successfully shed his defensive style and no longer seemed shadowed by
the famed Tendulkar-Ganguly opening duo. Since then, the Number 3
batsman carved his own niche as India’s batting anchor. A decade and a
half later, he became the only Indian batsman barring Tendulkar never to
have been dropped from the Test side since his debut.
Following the match-fixing controversy, he was appointed deputy to
captain Ganguly and the added responsibility egged Dravid to greater
consistency. He notably played a vital supporting role to VVS Laxman in
India’s historic defeat of an all-conquering Australia in 2001. By 2004,
he had scored centuries against every Test-playing nation. Captaincy
duty soon arrived but the spotlight repulsed him. It also affected his
ODI form and after a poor 2007 World Cup he relinquished the armband to
focus on his batting and was consequently dropped from ODIs and left out
in the cold for 2 years. Still, his position in the classic format
remained untouched, unquestioned. Few could match his Test achievements,
which remained consistent as ever, vindicating him even when people
around were losing faith. He carried his huge experience in the IPL,
where he represented the Royal Challengers Bangalore as captain in the
first edition, before being bought by the Rajasthan Royals in 2011.
Despite being a batsman of high calibre, Dravid was not a part of the
2011 World Cup winning squad, but remained an integral cog in the Test
set-up. He had a fabulous summer in England that year, notching 3
centuries in 4 Tests. In what was his final visit to the Mecca of
Cricket - “Lord's”, Dravid registered his name on the Honours board with
a memorable ton. His performances in the Test series prompted the
selectors to hand him an ODI recall and surprisingly, he received his
maiden T20I call-up as well. It was probably his only T20 international
and the ever-hungry run machine made the most of it, as he poured his
heart out by scoring a blazing 31 off just 21 balls, that included three
amazing sixes – a typical Twenty20 performance.
Ask him to open the batting and shuffle between different positions,
keep wickets, bowl, captain the team, shift gears from the longest
version to the shortest one, and he will do it all, without a shrug.
On 9th March, 2012, the stalwart decided to bow out from
international and domestic first class cricket. With that announcement, a
long and distinguished career came to a close. With more than 13,000
runs in Tests, finishing as the game's second highest run-getter in the
process, Dravid had nothing more to prove walking into the sunset on a
high and on his terms.
Fast Facts
- Rahul Dravid became the first batsman to score a century in every Test playing nation.
- His record of 93 consecutive Tests for India is the fifth highest overall and the second highest for an Indian behind Sunil Gavaskar.
- Dravid has featured in 100-run partnerships over 80 times with 18 different teammates, a record highest.
- With 461 runs, he finished as the top-scorer in the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
- “Jammy” became the first Indian to score back-to-back centuries in a World Cup.
- He also became the sixth batsman and the third Indian to cross the 10,000 – run mark in ODIs.
- Dravid is also the sixth batsman and the third Indian to score 11, 000 Test runs.
- He holds the record for the most number of catches by any Test player.
- Dravid was one of the Five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2000, along with being the ICC Test Player and Player of the Year in 2004.
- He became the first player to reach the 10000-run mark at the No.3 position.
Statistic
| Matches | Innings | Runs | NO | Avg. | SR | 100's | 50's | HS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 164 | 286 | 13288 | 32 | 52.31 | 42.50 | 36 | 63 | 270 |
| ODI | 344 | 318 | 10889 | 40 | 39.16 | 71.25 | 12 | 83 | 153 |
| T20 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 31 | 147.61 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| IPL | 55 | 49 | 1241 | 4 | 27.57 | 118.64 | 0 | 5 | 75* |
| CLT20 | 9 | 8 | 234 | 2 | 39 | 108.83 | 0 | 1 | 71* |
Career
Span:
Test: 1996-2012
- T20: 2011-2011
- IPL: 2008-2011
- CLT20: 2009-2010
ODI: 1996-2011
- Test::
- Debut: India Vs England at Lord's, London - Jun 20, 1996
-
- Last played:
- India Vs Australia at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide - Jan 24, 2012
- ODI ::
- Debut: India Vs Sri Lanka at The Padang, Singapore - Apr 03, 1996
-
- Last played:
- India Vs England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff - Sep 16, 2011
- T20:::
- Debut: India Vs England at Old Trafford, Manchester - Aug 31, 2011
-
- Last played:
- India Vs England at Old Trafford, Manchester - Aug 31, 2011
- IPL:: Debut: Royal Challengers Bangalore Vs Kolkata Knight Riders at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore - Karnataka - Apr 18, 2008
-
- Last played:
- Rajasthan Royals Vs Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - May 20, 2011
- CLT20::: Debut: Royal Challengers Bangalore Vs Cape Cobras at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore - Karnataka - Oct 08, 2009
-
- Last played:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore Vs Chennai Super Kings at Kingsmead, Durban - Sep 24, 2010
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rahul Dravid
- Batting style:
- Right Handed bat
- Bowling style:
- Off break
- Played for:
- India, Asia XI, ICC World XI, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals
- Ex Skipper-Test,ODI | Batsman
ICC Rank:
TESTBatting:
- 19
- Bowling:
- 133
- 133
- Bowling:
- 245
- India
- Born:
- January 11, 1973, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
ODI:
Batting:
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