Rahul Dravid: The Wall that stood tall in all conditions

Prime Time

Under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly, Dravid scored runs at will. So much so that he holds the record for highest percentage of runs scored in winning contributions under a single captain (minimum 20 wins).

In the 21 Test matches that India won under Ganguly's captaincy, Dravid scored 2571 runs at an average of 102.84, including nine hundreds (three of which were double hundreds) and ten fifties.

India toured Zimbabwe for a Test series where Dravid scored 200* in the first Test and another 160 odd in the second. He ended the tour with an average of 432.00.

Australia then toured India for a three-Test series in 2001. India lost the first Test at the Wankhede and the two champion sides then headed to Kolkata for the second Test. Steve Waugh's Australia scored 445 in their first innings, bowled India out for 171 and enforced a follow-on.

Dravid came out at number 6 to join VVS Laxman when the second innings score read 232/4. What followed was a batting masterclass.

Not a single wicket fell on the fourth day as Laxman scored a brilliant 281 and Dravid contributed a gritty 180, consisting of 20 beautiful boundaries.

The iconic pair added 375 runs for the fifth wicket and India went on to win the game by 171 runs.

Dravid was in fine form against England

India's tour of England in 2002 started with a triangular ODI series, Sri Lanka being the third team. Thanks to the heroics of Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif, India won the final against England. Dravid scored 245 runs at an average of 49 and affected nine dismissals as the wicket-keeper of the side.

In the Test series that followed, more specifically, in the second Test, at Nottingham, India scored 357 in the first innings. In reply, England scored 617. In their second innings, India were reduced to 11/2. Dravid, like he always did, brought India out of trouble by scoring a match-saving 115.

The action then shifted to Headingley for the third Test. On an overcast morning, the Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly won the toss and took the bold decision of batting first.

Dravid joined Sanjay Bangar in the middle at the fall of Sehwag's wicket. The two men countered the early swing and lateral movement that was served to them by Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff, Alex Tudor and Andy Caddick. Dravid scored an amazing 148 with 23 fours. Tendulkar and Ganguly also chipped in with hundreds.

India declared their first innings on 628/8 and bowled out the English lineup twice to clinch the game by an innings and 46 runs.

Dravid continued his scintillating form with an eye-catching 217 at the Oval in the last Test of the tour. The match and series ended in a draw.

'The Wall' scored 602 runs in the series at a Bradmanesque average of 100.33 and was adjudged the Man of the Series.