Former India captain and a great Test player, Rahul Dravid is compared among the great batsmen of the world. A career that is full of praise Dravid was known for his technique. At the same time, some such records have been established by Rahul Dravid, some of which will not be easy to break.
In a Test career spanning 16 years, Rahul Dravid has scored 13288 runs in 164 Test matches at an average of 52.31 and includes 5 double centuries. For India, Rahul Dravid first scored five double centuries in Test cricket, which was later broken by Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag by scoring 6-6 double centuries. There is another special thing about Rahul Dravid's double centuries, which all came under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly.
Rahul Dravid is the only Indian batsman so far who has scored 4 consecutive centuries in Test cricket. Through the best phase of his career, Rahul Dravid established this record by scoring 4 centuries in the year 2002 and till now this record is established in his name only. Rahul Dravid has scored 36 centuries and 63 half-centuries in Test cricket and led India during the period when Ganguly and Chappal had a dispute.
Also Read | Most Underrated Innings of Rahul Dravid
Captaining in 25 matches, Rahul Dravid won the series in the West Indies after 35 years, beat England on their soil after 21 years and won the Test match in South Africa when Graeme Smith was the captain. Let’s take a look at Rahul Dravid’s five double centuries
233 vs Australia, Adelaide 2003
The fourth double century of Rahul Dravid’s career and perhaps one of the best innings of his career, which came against Australia and at a time when Australia’s team was a top-class team in the world. The second Test match of the 4-Test series was named after Rahul Dravid’s double century. While the first test was a draw, Australia won the toss in the second test and made a huge score of 556 runs which included Ricky Ponting’s innings of 242 runs.
In response, India’s team had fallen for 4 wickets for 88 runs at one time when the partnership of Rahul Dravid and Laxman turned the match completely. Dravid and Laxman put on a 303 partnership to bring India back into the match. India scored 533 runs in the first innings, in which Dravid had a memorable innings of 233 runs.
Australia could score only 196 runs in the second innings, in which Ajit Agarkar took 6 wickets giving 41 runs and India got the target of 230 runs in the fourth innings. In India’s second innings, Rahul Dravid led India to victory by staying unbeaten on 72*. Due to this victory, India finished the series 1-1 and Rahul Dravid was chosen Man of the Series after scoring 619 runs in the series, in which his average was 123.80.
Watch out here: Dravid's 233 vs Australia
200* vs Zimbabwe, Delhi 2000
After the 1999 World Cup, many questions were raised on the Indian team. Sourav Ganguly was chosen as the captain who came at such a time and what happened after that was history. Team India going through a transition, Zimbabwe team to tour India for 2-Test matches. Hardly anyone knows, this Zimbabwe team was one of the best teams in their history, with a batsman like Andy Flower. In the first test match, Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat and scored 422 runs in the first innings which included Andy Flower's innings of 183 runs. Javagal Srinath took 4 wickets for 81 runs from India's side.
The hosts got their first opening blow on 13 runs when Zimbabwe turned the match in their favour. But Zimbabwe probably forgot that the most reliable player of the team was yet to come and Rahul Dravid comes to the crease, what happened after that Zimbabwe team had no answer for it. Rahul Dravid scored the first double century of his career to shifted momentum of India towards victory.
The host declared the first innings at 458 for 4 in which Rahul Dravid scored an unbeaten 200 runs. Zimbabwe’s second innings was restricted to 225 runs by India’s fast bowler Javagal Srinath, who took 5 wickets for 60 runs. The target was 190 runs in which Rahul Dravid once again contributed to the victory by playing an unbeaten innings of 70 runs.
Check out here Records of Rahul Dravid that are impossible to be touched
217 vs England, The Oval 2002
Perhaps it was the beginning of the golden era of Rahul Dravid's career when Rahul Dravid scored the second double century of his Test career. Where the first double century of Rahul Dravid came against a team like Zimbabwe, Rahul Dravid indicated by hitting the second double century on the soil of England, this is just the beginning.
The last match of the 4-Test series was played at the Oval. By winning the third test match, which included Rahul Dravid’s 148-run innings, India leveled the series at 1-1 and now the focus was on the fourth test match.
In the fourth test match, the host won the toss and decided to bat and for England, Micheal Vaughan played an innings of 195 runs to turn the match towards England and helped the team to score 515 runs in the first innings. A huge score for England in the first innings but once again India was saved from defeat by Rahul Dravid when he scored the second double century of his career to draw the match and save India from defeat. Where Rahul Dravid's innings of 217 runs shattered England's dream of winning the series. Rahul Dravid was awarded Man of the Match for his innings of 217 runs and Man of the Series for scoring 602 runs in the series.
222 vs New Zealand, Ahmedabad 2003
The third double century of Rahul Dravid’s career came against New Zealand when the visiting team came to India to play a 2-Test match series. The first Test match of the series was played in Ahmedabad where batting first India declared an innings at 500 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in which Rahul Dravid’s innings of 222 runs included 28 fours and 1 six was there. But the visiting team saved the match in the second innings when New Zealand scored 272 runs while chasing the target of 370 for the loss of 6 wickets.
In the first innings where the visiting team scored 340 runs in reply to the host's 500 runs. At the same time in India's second innings, Rahul Dravid once again played an innings of 73 runs, for which he was awarded the man of the match.
270 vs Pakistan, Rawalpindi 2004
After winning the one-day series, it was now the turn of the Test series where Virender Sehwag, one of India's most dangerous openers in the first test match, scored an astonishing 309 runs to help India win by 52 runs and innings. But the host made a comeback to win the second test and level the series at 1-1.
In the third test match of the series, India won the toss and allowed the hosts to bat first but Pakistan's team scored only 224 runs in their first innings. Rahul Dravid's bat, captaining India's side, was calm so far in the series but once again he proved why there can be no one like Dravid. The year was 2004 when Rahul Dravid scored the fifth double century of his career and left behind Sunil Gavaskar's record of four double centuries.
After Sehwag’s wicket fell early, Rahul Dravid made important partnerships with Sourav Ganguly, Laxman and Parthiv Patel to provide momentum to Indian innings. India scored 600 runs in the first innings due to Rahul Dravid’s innings of 270 runs and almost turned the match towards victory. It was difficult for India to lose from here and it was impossible for Pakistan to survive. At the same time, it was not a matter for Pakistan to cross a huge lead and then set the target. Pakistan had a chance to draw the match but it could not happen and Pakistan team could score only 245 runs in their second innings and lost the match by 131 runs. Whereas India won 2-1 series on Pakistani soil after a long time.
