5 worst defeats for Rahul Dravid in Tests

Former India captain Rahul Dravid succeeded Sourav Ganguly in 2005 and continued to be the skipper of the side until late 2007 before resigning from the post. He had the honour of leading India in 25 Tests and 79 ODIs, a stint which included the 2007 World Cup in West Indies.

In the longest format, Dravid led India to series victories in West Indies (2006) and England (2007), while also being at the helm of India’s first Test win on South African soil, in 2006.

However, to look at the other side of the coin, there were also certain defeats which he endured – six in all, two of which were as stand-in captain – and Sportskeeda looks back on five of those which India could have well avoided with better application with the bat and ball.

#5 South Africa won by 5 wickets: Newlands, Cape Town 2006

Brief Scores: South Africa 373 (Smith 94, Amla 63; Kumble 4/117) and 211/5 (Smith 55, Prince 38*; Zaheer 4/62) beat India 414 (Jaffer 116, Ganguly 66; Pollock 4/75) and 169 (Dravid 47, Ganguly 46; Steyn 4/30) by 5 wickets

India had a rare opportunity to win a Test series in South Africa after they posted 414 in the third and final match, in 2006, with the series level at 1-1. Wasim Jaffer posted 116 with Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik making 66, 64 and 63 respectively but four wickets each for Shaun Pollock and Paul Harris kept South Africa in the game.

The hosts' scorecard also featured multiple half-centuries with Graeme Smith top-scoring with 94 and Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher chipping in with fifties of their own. That took South Africa to 373 with Anil Kumble bagging 4/117.

India's golden chance to put the opposition under pressure should have had them pile up big runs, but a collapse mid-way after stabilising knocks from Rahul Dravid and Ganguly ruined their chances. From 90/2, they were bowled out for 169 as Dale Steyn took 4/30, leaving South Africa 211 to chase.

Zaheer Khan bowled his heart out in an attempt to help India defend the score, but Smith stood strong for 55, with contributions from Pollock, Kallis and Ashwell Prince taking South Africa home with 5 wickets to spare.

#4 South Africa won by 113 runs: Kingsmead, Durban 2006

South Africa levelled the series with a 174-run win in the second Test at Durban in 2006

Brief Scores: South Africa 328 (Prince 121, Gibbs 63; Sreesanth 4/109) and 265/8 dec (Pollock 63*, Smith 58; Sreesanth 4/79) beat India 240 (Tendulkar 63, Laxman 50*; Ntini 3/41) and 179 (Dhoni 47; Ntini 5/48, Nel 3/57) by 174 runs

In just the previous game, India had upset South Africa with their maiden Test victory in their backyard but the hosts were prepared to spoil the visitors' party early. Ashwell Prince's 121 took them to 328 after Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth had rocked them early. Prince received support from Herschelle Gibbs, 63, and Mark Boucher, 53, while Sreesanth finished with 4/109.

In reply, India lost wickets regularly, as an all-pace attack punctured them. Knocks of note came only from Sachin Tendulkar, 63, and VVS Laxman, 50*. Makhaya Ntini took 3/41 with debutant Morne Morkel chipping in with 3/86 as India made 240.

South Africa were 88 runs ahead and Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers extended that to 187. Smith was dismissed for 58 before Shaun Pollock's crucial 63* and runs from Andrew Hall and Morkel took them to 265/8, as Sreesanth again got 4/79, following which the South Africans declared.

In a tough chase of 354, India tumbled from the beginning as it was Ntini again who hurt them with 5/48, and Andre Nel and Hall wrapped up the tail to lead South Africa to a series-levelling win after India managed only 240.

#3 England won by 212 runs: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 2006

Andrew Flintoff's all-round show helped England level the series at Mumbai

Brief Scores: England 400 (Strauss 128, Shah 88; Sreesanth 4/70) and 191 (Flintoff 50, Shah 38; Kumble 4/49) beat India 279 (Dhoni 64, Dravid 52; Anderson 4/40) and 100 (Tendulkar 34; Udal 4/14, Flintoff 3/14) by 212 runs

England levelled the three-match series in 2006 with an emphatic win, as stand-in captain Andrew Flintoff took home the Man of the Match as well as the Man of the Series awards. Their first innings was set up by Andrew Strauss' 128 and debutant Owais Shah's 88. Flintoff hit 50, but England collapsed from 326/3 to only 400 with Sreesanth claiming 4/70.

India's top order fell to Matthew Hoggard and James Anderson, but Dravid made 52 with support from Yuvraj Singh (37). Anderson, 4/40, swung the ball well to fox both Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, and then ran out top scorer MS Dhoni for 64. India fell short by 121, and hoped England would fall into the trap of the spinners on a turning track.

While that did happen, with veterans Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh sharing six wickets amongst them, Flintoff came to his side's rescue with a composed 50. Kumble got 4/49 and England were dismissed for 191.

In what would be his last Test, Shaun Udal spun a web around India with 4/14. Only three batsmen entered double figures with Tendulkar's 34 the highest in a shameful total of 100. Flintoff's 3/14 took England to a 212-run win.

#2 Pakistan won by 341 runs: National Stadium, Karachi 2006

Irfan Pathan's hat-trick went in vain as Pakistan thrashed India by 341 runs at Karachi

Brief Scores: Pakistan 245 (K Akmal 113, Akhtar 45; I Pathan 5/61) and 599/7 dec (Iqbal 139, Yousuf 97; Kumble 3/151) beat India 238 (Yuvraj 45; Asif 4/78, Razzaq 3/67) and 265 (Yuvraj 122; Razzaq 4/88, Asif 3/48) by 341 runs

A match remembered for Irfan Pathan’s first over hat-trick ended with Pakistan thrashing India. From 39/6, Pakistan’s lower order dragged them to 245, with Kamran Akmal making 113, despite Pathan's 5/61.

India stumbled to 56/4 with the top four sent back by the pacers. Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh staged a brief recovery, but the former fell for 34. The tail was wrapped up quickly, Yuvraj top scoring with 45 and India making 238.

Pakistan hit back through Salman Butt and Imran Farhat, who put on 109. But it was the third wicket stand between Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, who hit 97, that broke India’s back, as they strung 158; and to frustrate India further, the sixth wicket partnership between Faisal Iqbal and Abdul Razzaq was worth 196, with Iqbal making 139. Pakistan declared at 599/7 and set India a mammoth 607.

Yet again, Yuvraj’s hundred was the lone spark in a hapless batting display. He was the last to be dismissed, for 122, with Razzaq tormenting India again with 4/88, while Asif got 4/48. Pakistan secured a victory by 341 runs, winning the series 1-0.

#1 Australia won by 342 runs: Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur 2004

Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead following their victory at Nagpur in 2004

Brief Scores: Australia 398 (Martyn 114, Clarke 91; Zaheer 4/57) and 329/5 dec (Katich 99, Martyn 97; Zaheer 2/64) beat India 185 (Kaif 55; Gillespie 5/56, McGrath 3/27) and 200 (Sehwag 58; Gillespie 4/24, Kasprowicz 2/39) by 342 runs

In Dravid’s fourth Test as a substitute captain, Australia knocked over India by a massive 342 runs to go 2-0 up with one to play. The visitors, also without their regular skipper Ricky Ponting, batted first and the middle-order justified Adam Gilchrist’s decision. Damien Martyn hit 114, Darren Lehmann contributed 70 and Michael Clarke fell for 91. Australia tallied 398 as Zaheer Khan bagged 4/95.

In reply, the hosts were wrecked by pace, with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie snaring eight wickets between them. Only Mohammad Kaif made a substantial 55, as Gillespie claimed 5/56 with India falling short of even the follow-on, folding up for 185. Australia chose to bat again and racked up 329/5 before declaring. Yet again, Martyn contributed, making 97, with Simon Katich being trapped for 99 and Clarke getting 73.

With a record 543 to chase, India were never off to a start with half the side back in the hut by the 16th over. Virender Sehwag hung around for 58, with only four others getting into double figures. Gillespie got four more to finish India off for 200 and register a huge win.