Classical, orthodox, copybook, solid, technical, steady, methodical &#8211; these are the words generally used to describe Rahul Dravid as a batsman and there is nothing wrong with it. But what is wrong is limiting his batting style to these adjectives. For a large part of his career, Rahul was perceived as a Test batsman. After his first 2 years in ODI cricket, he was dropped from the side. He came back, reinvented his ODI game, added some new strokes to his armoury, scored the highest number of runs in World Cup 1999 and became a regular part of the ‘Men in Blue’.

But as people feel, “First impression is the last impression” and Dravid suffered from this ideology like no other cricketer. Probably his style was so perfectly suited to test cricket that people labelled him as a test batsman. If you check his one-day international career, you will see that he scored his ODI runs at a strike rate of approximately 71 runs per 100 balls.

The current generation of cricket fans who have started following the game recently in the batsmen-friendly era might consider it modest but those who have followed Dravid’s career since its inception will know the importance of this modest strike rate. They will know that most of the runs that Dravid scored came while managing the disaster during the innings.

He was the glue that held the whole innings together letting the Sachins, Sehwags and Yuvrajs express themselves. And when there was a need to strike big, the organised guy was never shy of breaking the stereotypes. Of course, you cannot score 10,000 runs in the format, be a part of two 300-plus stands in ODI cricket and score heaps of runs for your IPL franchises just being a Test batsman.

He was one of the cleanest hitters on his days. Here is a list of 12 such innings from &#8216;The Wall&#8217; when he broke the myth of only being a Test batsman:

1. 72* (64) v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, 2001:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Indian-cricketer-Rahul-Dravid.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87800"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87800" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Indian-cricketer-Rahul-Dravid.jpg" alt="Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid" width="600" height="435" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87800" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Dravid. (Photo credit ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

A man-of-the-match award winning performance from Rahul Dravid where he ensured that India clinches 2 points after a tense chase. Dravid came out to bat with the required run rate hovering around 6 which was a tricky number during that time. Building a 93-run partnership with Sourav Ganguly, Rahul was busy throughout the innings rotating the strike and scoring occasional boundaries without letting the asking rate creep up.

His strike rate was over 100 for most part of the innings. He completed his half-century in 44 balls and even after Ganguly’s departure and next 4 wickets falling in around 30 runs, Dravid stood as a rock at the other end constantly taking India closer towards their target.

The perfection with which he paced his inning can be assessed by the fact that India won the match in the last over but still the touring team never seemed in trouble with the required run rate. Dravid finished the match on the second ball of the last over with a backfoot drive through the covers.

2. 145 (129) v Sri Lanka, Taunton, 1999:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-of-India.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87803"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87803" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-of-India.jpg" alt="Rahul Dravid Taunton" width="600" height="428" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87803" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

Rahul Dravid’s first big hundred in his ODI career came at a strike rate of 112 in a World Cup against Sri Lanka in Taunton. Coming out to bat at no. 3 when Chaminda Vaas was seaming the ball around, Dravid started cautiously but didn’t take much time to settle in. Once he struck 3 fours in the 6th over of the innings it became impossible for the Lankans to stop Dravid.

He didn’t let any loose delivery go unpunished. He drove, cut, pulled and flicked the ball and by the end of the 10th over, India was scoring at a run rate of 7 runs per over. Without playing any rash shots, Rahul matched Sourav Ganguly stroke for stroke. For a man who was considered unfit for the shorter format of the game, he was the aggressor in the partnership with Ganguly and outscored him in terms of scoring both his fifty and his hundred.

After completing his ton with the straight-batted shots, Dravid played the lofts and the heave shots, scoring the last 45 runs in just 27 deliveries. In the end, it was a run out that put curtains on Dravid’s innings as no bowler seemed like dismissing him. That was the second successive century for him in the World Cup and it was the first ever 300-plus partnership in ODI cricket but yet Dravid’s inning was overshadowed by that of Ganguly who ended up scoring 183 off 158.

3. 109* (124) v West Indies, Ahmedabad, 2002:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-sweeps.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87804"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87804" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-sweeps.jpg" alt="Rahul Dravid sweep shot" width="600" height="418" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87804" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Dravid. (Photo credit INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

India’s hopes of levelling the series took a backseat when Chris Gayle plundered 123 helping West Indies to post a mammoth 324. With no Sachin Tendulkar in the side and both the openers (Ganguly and Sehwag) gone in the first 5 overs, chances of a win looked bleak. But then it was Rahul Dravid, the man you would expect the least from in such a situation, who stepped up.

He didn’t play a swashbuckling innings by any means but it was the perfect one-day innings you would want in such a situation. He held it together and kept one end safe. He batted for 201 minutes that too after keeping the stumps during the first half of the match. The Wall did bat like a wall against a decent West Indies bowling attack. Towards the end, Sanjay Bangar provided just the kind of support that Dravid’s innings needed to finish the chase to perfection. Bangar cracked 57* from just 41 balls to take India home within 47.4 overs.

But the Bangar-magic won’t have happened without Rahul Dravid leading the charge for India by batting through the innings at a decent pace to chase down 325 (India’s second highest chase at that time) with as much as 14 balls to spare when a heavy defeat seemed tough to avoid.

4. 74 (64) v Australia, Brisbane, 2004:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-of-India-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87809"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87809" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-of-India-1.jpg" alt="Rahul Dravid in 2004" width="600" height="413" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87809" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

When India lost the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar on a belter of a track in Brisbane, their prime motive was not to lose the momentum. Dravid walked out to bat at no. 4 and ensured that the scoreboard keeps ticking. Brisbane Cricket Ground is one of the bigger grounds in world cricket and Dravid used that beautifully to his advantage. With VVS Laxman calmy inching towards his century, Dravid was elegantly pushing the ball in the gaps running ones and twos. The kind of form he was in (thanks to a wonderful Test series), it seemed like he cannot see any fielders and was constantly placing the ball in the gaps.

He reached his fifty with only one boundary but his strike rate was still over 100. By the time Dravid got out with three more boundaries to his name, India’s run rate had increased from 5.25 in the 29th over when he walked into bat to 5.90 in the 48th over. His 74 off 64 balls helped Laxman notch another hundred on the tour, Indian team to score their first ever 300+ ODI total on Australian soil and most importantly, win the game.

Laxman scored 103* and Sachin made 86 but Rahul Dravid’s 74 was the most attractive inning by an Indian that day and also the only inning that came at a strike rate of better than run a ball (barring Yuvraj Singh who scored 5 off 4 balls).

5. 50* (22) v New Zealand, Hyderabad, 2003:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jefSvYa_2UA

This is probably the most popular example given by RD fans whenever they indulge in conversations questioning his place in the ODI side. Coming out to bat with only a handful of overs left Dravid blasted his way to a half-century.

Team India was already heading towards a giant score against the Black Caps after tons from Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar and they were looking to add as many runs as possible, mainly from Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif towards the back end. But to everyone’s surprise, it was Rahul Dravid who did most of the scoring. He clarified his intentions from the very first ball that he faced. He batted with an urgency in his stance to score off each ball. He played his copybook drives but played them in the air, over the fielders and sometimes over the boundary ropes. When the Kiwis were looking for calmness in the inning, Rahul Dravid batted them to out of the match.

Even the commentators were left in awe. Sanjay Manjrekar called his cameo unexpected in the beginning but escalated to using words like splendid and incredible towards the end. Dravid completed his fifty on the last ball of the inning batting with a strike rate of 227 and registered the second fastest fifty by an Indian in ODIs at that time. New Zealand were always under pressure in the chase of 354 as India won the match quite comfortably.

6. 99 (104) v Pakistan, Karachi, 2004:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Indian-batsman-Rahul-Dravid.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87815"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87815" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Indian-batsman-Rahul-Dravid.jpg" alt="Indian batsman Rahul Dravid" width="600" height="455" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87815" class="wp-caption-text">Indian batsman Rahul Dravid. (Photo credit JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

India were playing Pakistan in Pakistan after a long time. The hype for the series among the two nations was equivalent to that of a World Cup. Indian innings took off with a supreme start riding on another Virender Sehwag blitz. By the time Dravid replaced him at the fall of the 2nd wicket, India were scoring at 10 runs per over in the 15th over and the stage was set for the vice-captain to take full toll of the conditions.

His first boundary was a trademark flick off his legs. Back-to-back on drives against Abdul Razzaq could make it to any highlights’ package. He swept and cut the ball late. Dravid carried the innings from where Sehwag left. The only difference was that his strokeplay had a sweeter essence to it. When India lost Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh in quick succession, Dravid made sure Pakistan don&#8217;t get into India’s lower order too soon stitching a 100-run partnership with Kaif. The boundaries dried up to an extent but Dravid maintained a decent strike rate and India’s run rate was above 7 for the most part of the innings.

With the slog overs approaching, Dravid’s strike rate accelerated towards 100 again. His last scoring shot was a slap bisecting the gap between mid-off and cover for four on an attempted yorker from Shoaib Akhtar on the middle stump at approximately 140 kph. It was a stroke that could make even the hardest hitters of the ball go weak in their knees. On 99, he got out trying to force the ball on the leg-side to steal a single. That was the only moment in the game when Dravid looked like rushing things too hard. Pakistan came agonizingly close to India’s total of 349. Inzamam-ul-Haq scored a heroic 122 from 102 balls. He won the man of the match award as a consolation prize but Dravid’s inning of mixed aggression proved pivotal in India’s win.

7. 85* (63) v Sri Lanka, Nagpur, 2005:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-Nagpur.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87816"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87816" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-Nagpur.jpg" alt="Rahul Dravid " width="600" height="469" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87816" class="wp-caption-text">Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid raises his bat after scoring his half-century. (Photo credit RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Another great knock with balanced aggression from Rahul Dravid which helped India race their way to a huge total after a supreme start. It was his first game as a full-time captain. He walked out to bat in the most comfortable of situations. There were 18 overs left in the innings without any pressure of catching up on the run rate or to save wickets.

Dravid initiated his innings in the regular manner nudging the ball around and punishing the loose deliveries. Once he grew in confidence, there was no stopping him. India scored 102 runs in the final 10 overs out of which 58 were scored by Dravid. The shots he played were totally out of his character. He slapped the ball and the critics who termed his batting slow all around the park. Anything above 300 would have been accepted gleefully by the Indian team but Dravid took them to an impregnable 350.

As a result, Sri Lanka never seemed in the hunt. They bundled out for a meek 198 and Dravid was adjudged as the Man of the Match for his splendid flourish towards the end.

8. 54* (35) v West Indies, Nagpur, 2007:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Indian-cricketer-Rahul-Dravid-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87817"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87817" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Indian-cricketer-Rahul-Dravid-1.jpg" alt="Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid" width="600" height="439" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87817" class="wp-caption-text">Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid. (Photo credit INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Last time he batted in Nagpur, he scored with a strike rate of 135 (previous point) and this time he was even more brutal cracking up a fifty at a strike rate of 154 and his second fastest fifty in ODI cricket. Silently, with his death over’s exploits, Dravid was fast becoming one of the better finishers in ODI cricket of that decade and this was another one of those innings that proved his mettle against the white ball.

Once again, he was blessed to walk in at a very comfortable situation to commence his innings and carried it at a run-a-ball pace for the initial period. Slowly, with the odd boundaries, he took the strike rate over hundred and as soon as the last 4 overs began, he started to deal in sixes. From the other end, MS Dhoni was also striking at 147. Dravid and Dhoni shared an unbeaten stand of 119 from 71 balls for the 4th wicket. With that partnership, India scored their highest ODI total against West Indies.

Everyone expected Dhoni to farm the strike in the last over but it was tough to keep Dravid away who was equally lethal with his strokeplay. He picked up a boundary and a six in the final over to complete a sublime fifty and took India to a luscious total of 338. The late flow of runs proved to be decisive as West Indies fought well with Chanderpaul’s ton (only hundred in a run-fest) but eventually fell short by 14 runs.

9. 105 (102) v West Indies, Jamaica, 2006:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-raises-his-bat.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87818"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87818" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-raises-his-bat.jpg" alt="Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid" width="600" height="465" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87818" class="wp-caption-text">Kingston, JAMAICA: Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid raises his bat in celebration after scoring a century. (Photo credit EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

India were expected to mend their ODI record against a substandard West Indies side but their hopes start fading away as Chris Gayle cracked up a hundred handling India a daunting 252 runs to chase within 45 overs in the first ODI. Rahul Dravid had the added pressure of captaincy and he was also opening the innings (a batting position he wasn&#8217;t fond of) but the Indian captain was at par with every challenge.

India lost three wickets for less than 100 runs but Dravid batted with flawless timing. He pulled the ball with unmatchable grace (except for the top edge but even that went for six over the keeper’s head) and drove with luscious elegance. The required run rate went over 7 approaching the end overs but Dravid never let the game go out of control. A slog sweep deposited the ball in the stands was memorable. Kaif at the other end was patchy but Dravid took care of that too in a 125-run stand. His 99-ball hundred was a great example of a captain’s knock under tough circumstances.

He got out for 105 trying to up the ante but was caught off a mistimed shot in the air. Kaif finished the chase with a ball to spare as India drew first blood. It was the last hundred of Dravid’s ODI career. He won the man of the match for his contribution but later the significance of the innings was limited to avoiding a clean sweep in the series as WI won it 4-1.

10. 92* (63) v England, Bristol, 2007:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-plays-a-shot.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87819"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87819" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-plays-a-shot.jpg" alt="Indian Cricketer Rahul Dravid" width="600" height="425" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87819" class="wp-caption-text">Indian Cricketer Rahul Dravid. (Photo credit HENRY BROWNE/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

India started the second ODI against England in Bristol with a Tendulkar special and the Indian fans were at their joyous best. However, their frolics were cut short when Tendulkar was adjudged caught behind on 99 on a rising delivery from Andrew Flintoff. Fans were perplexed with sweet-and-sour emotions but Rahul Dravid who walked out to replace Sachin Tendulkar elevated their mood once again within the next hour.

A splendid 99 from Tendulkar was not enough. With short boundaries and a belter of a track, it was important for India to pile up a big total. Dravid rose up to the occasion inducing another perfect finish for India. He batted at run a ball till he got his eye in. India lost Yuvraj in the 41st over but Dravid stood firm to explode in the slog overs.

In the last 10 overs, he scored at least one boundary every over. Be it Flintoff, Broad or Anderson, there was no respite for anyone from Dravid’s willow. He bashed them all around the park. He mistimed a few but even those were placed in the gaps and went over the ropes. His six over point off James Anderson in the penultimate over was the highlight of the innings. The punishing innings came at a strike rate of 146 and was sufficient to form a solid reply to those criticising him for his pedestrian batting on the tour.

A hundred for the Indian captain and the team total, both were restricted by an efficient last over from Flintoff who ended with a 5-wicket haul. But Dravid managed to take India to 328 which proved just enough as they won the match by 8 runs. He eminently created a difference with his innings and won the &#8216;Player of the Match’ award for that.

11. 84 (94) v South Africa, Durban, 1997:

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-of-India-2.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87829"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87829" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-of-India-2.jpg" alt="Rahul Dravid" width="600" height="412" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87829" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

Most of the people who have seen this knock term this as Dravid’s best ODI knock. Unfortunately, his best was not enough to win the game for Team India but the inning marked the arrival of Dravid as the next superstar of Indian cricket.

252 in 40 overs was always a tough task for India, especially in a tri-series final. India lost Ganguly for 5 and in walked Dravid at number 3. He was already battling with personal issues as his father was due for a heart operation next day but Rahul put all that behind him. He batted like no one had ever seen him bat before. He was fluent, he was punishing, he was ruthless. Tendulkar was tormenting the bowlers at the other end and Dravid matched him stroke for stroke. The duo added 66 in less than 8 overs and were running away with the game.

RD even got the better of Allan Donald on that day. A bowler of his reputation was certainly not expecting a batsman in only the second year of his career to hammer him like that. When Dravid lofted a six over Donald’s head, he lost all his cool. The White Lightning was furious and tried to wear down Dravid with some cuss words but there was hardly any effect. Donald even mentioned in his autobiography that he lost his cool against Dravid that day admitting that is the best someone has batted against him.

Dravid looked unbeatable in that game but was eventually caught at deep mid-wicket in an attempt to score some quick runs. India were still in a decent position at his departure but failed to close out the game and lost another final. Dravid was adjudged man of the match for a scintillating batting display despite being on the losing side.

12. 31 (21) v England, Manchester, 2011 (Only T20I):

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/09/Rahul-Dravid-of-India-3.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-87832"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-87832" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-of-India-3.jpg" alt="Rahul-Dravid-of-India" width="600" height="425" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87832" class="wp-caption-text">Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source: Getty Images)</figcaption>

When it seemed that Dravid will finish his career without playing any T20 cricket for India, he made his T20I debut under tragic circumstances. After an exhausting Test series, selectors surprisingly asked Dravid to stay for the ODI leg of the tour as well and it seemed like a pretty requisite decision after a horrific Test series for every Indian batsman except Rahul Dravid.

On the other hand, Dravid called time on his career in the blue jersey declaring the forthcoming ODI series as his last. After all this drama, he was still not expected to play the only T20 scheduled on the tour. But with no experience in the side, the heads turned to Dravid again. He was set to become the only cricketer to have announced his retirement before making his debut in any format of international cricket.

Not sure whether Dravid walked out to bat with the collywobbles of a debut or the emotions of a swansong but he started in a scratchy manner. He tried to hit the ball too hard, edged the ball, struggled for timing on many occasions before he faced Samit Patel against whom he astonished everyone by hitting the first six of the Indian innings. Patel made the mistake of bowling in the slot and Dravid clobbered the ball for one of the mightiest sixes of his career. Not satisfied, he shimmied down the track next ball and lofted Patel over long-on. There was another ball left in the over and Dravid slog-swept Samit to complete a hat-trick of sixes.

After holding the fort for India throughout the Test series, Dravid was also taking the onus to hit the big shots in colored clothing. Harsha Bhogle beautifully concluded Dravid’s spirit from the commentary box stating: “You ask him to walk on water and he will ask how many kilometers?”

Just when he seemed like owning the T20 format, he butchered the ball straight to Eoin Morgan in the next over. His T20 career for India lasted for barely half an hour but the three sixes will stay as an immortal memory with his fans and also those who questioned his six hitting capabilities.

<h6>Also read &#8211; <a href="http://www.crictracker.com/11-quotes-that-define-rahul-dravid-as-a-cricketer-and-a-human-being/" target="_blank">11 quotes that define Rahul Dravid as a cricketer and a human being</a></h6>

153 (153) v New Zealand, Hyderabad, 1999

79 (70) v South Africa, Nagpur, 2000

80 (84) v Australia, Bangalore, 2001

73*(86) v England, Lord’s, 2002

104 (93) v UAE, Dambulla, 2004

75* (71) v Rest of the World XI (for Asia XI), Melbourne, 2005

Written by Shubham Aggarwal

12 Innings when Rahul Dravid broke the myth of being just a Test batsman

Classical, orthodox, copybook, solid, technical, steady, methodical - these are the words generally used to describe Rahul Dravid as a batsman and there is