'My inspiration'- Ajinkya Rahane posts a heartfelt message for Rahul Dravid on the latter's birthday

Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid is celebrating his 47th birthday today. One of the greatest ever cricketers and a thorough gentleman, Rahul Sharad Dravid’s success story is an epitome as to what one can really achieve if he has that burning desire inside him to overcome all the odds.

Dravid was a perfect team man. Whenever the side needed someone to put their hands up, it was almost always the Wall, who used to be at the forefront. He kept gloves for the team so that they could play an extra-batsman; he opened the innings for his team in Test cricket whenever one of the openers was injured; he did everything that his Captain and the team-management.

With the ‘Wall’ celebrating his 47th birthday on Saturday, wishes have galore for the former Indian captain. Ajinkya Rahane, who made his ODI debut in Dravid’s last series in that format back in 2011, posted a heartfelt message for his idol on his birthday.

Rahane wrote, “My inspiration…Always looked up to him…Made my International debut alongside him…Always a guiding light and a role model to me… He’s someone whom I truly treasure. Wish Rahul Bhai a very happy birthday!”

My inspiration…
Always looked up to him…
Made my International debut alongside him…
Always a guiding light and a role model to me…
He’s someone whom I truly treasure. Wish Rahul bhai a very happy birthday! pic.twitter.com/OjM8caaZeN

— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) January 11, 2020

Rahul Dravid’s achievements as captain have often been brushed aside

Dravid made his debut back in 1996 alongside Sourav Ganguly at the Lord’s Cricket Ground where he fell agonizing close to getting a three-figure. In the next 16 years, Dravid would go on to assert his credentials across all the formats of the game, becoming only one of the few batsmen in the history of the game to cross 10,000+ run-mark in both ODI and Test cricket.

Dravid’s captaincy era was marred by the controversy surrounding former captain Sourav Ganguly and Head Coach Gregg Chappell. But, many people seem to forget that Indian cricket achieved a lot of things under Dravid. Under the leadership of the ‘Wall’, the Men in Blue broke the record for the most successful run-chases in ODI cricket (17; 15 of which came under Rahul Dravid).

Besides that, the former Indian captain led the country to a Test series victory [1-0 in 2006] for the first time in the Caribbean since 1971, maiden Test win on South Africa in Johannesburg, 2006-07 and then finally to a Test series win [1-0] on English soil in 2007

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