12 Innings when Rahul Dravid broke the myth of being just a Test batsman
7. 85* (63) v Sri Lanka, Nagpur, 2005:
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.
Download Our App