10 Key Facts About the Life and Cricket Career of Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid was born on January 11, 1973, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. He later moved to Bangalore, Karnataka, where he grew up and started his cricketing journey.

Dravid made his Test debut for India against England at Lord's on June 20, 1996, scoring an impressive 95 runs in his first innings.

Known as "The Wall" for his solid defense and consistent performance, Dravid earned the nickname due to his reliability and ability to anchor the Indian batting lineup.

Dravid scored 13,288 runs in Test cricket, making him the fourth-highest run-scorer in Test history. He also holds the record for facing the most deliveries in Test cricket.

In One Day Internationals (ODIs), Dravid scored 10,889 runs, making him one of the few players to have scored over 10,000 runs in both Test and ODI formats.

Dravid holds the record for the most century partnerships in Test cricket (88). He has been involved in 20 century partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar, the most by any pair in Test cricket.

Dravid has received numerous awards, including the ICC Player of the Year and Test Player of the Year awards in 2004. He has also been honored with the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, two of India's highest civilian awards.

Dravid captained the Indian cricket team in both Tests and ODIs. Under his captaincy, India won Test matches in England and the West Indies after a long gap, highlighting his leadership skills.

After retiring from international cricket, Dravid took up coaching roles. He has been the head coach of India A and the India Under-19 teams, leading them to significant successes, including a U-19 World Cup victory. In 2021, he was appointed as the head coach of the Indian national cricket team.

Dravid is known for his mentorship of young cricketers, helping shape the next generation of Indian cricket. His work ethic, integrity, and contributions to the game have left an enduring legacy, earning him immense respect both on and off the field.