Rahul Dravid turns 53; BCCI wishes 'The Wall'

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took to X to extend its wishes to the batting great, who carved out a legendary career on the back of an impenetrable defence and a rock-solid technique. Known for his discipline and mental toughness, Dravid earned a reputation as one of the most reliable batters of his generation, consistently delivering runs for India across formats.

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Fondly referred to as "The Wall", Dravid's contribution to Indian cricket goes beyond numbers. From anchoring the batting line-up during challenging overseas tours to guiding the next generation as head coach, his influence on Indian cricket has been immense.

This batting legend represented India in 164 Test matches and scored 13,288 runs at an average of 52.31. He has 36 centuries and 63 fifties in the longer format, with the best score of 270. He is India's second-highest run-getter in Tests and overall at fourth place.

In 344 ODIs, Dravid scored 10,889 runs at an average of 39.16. He has 12 centuries and 83 fifties in the format, with the best score of 153. He is the fifth-highest run-getter for India in ODIs and the tenth-highest overall.

He scored 31 runs in the only T20I he played for India.

He has also represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) (2008-2010) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) (2011-13) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In 89 IPL matches, he scored 2,174 runs at an average of 28.23. He has 11 fifties in the IPL and has scored his runs at a strike rate of 115.52.

Later in his career, Dravid achieved several coaching successes, including the 2018 ICC U19 World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. He also reached the finals of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, with the latter ending in a heartbreaking loss to Australia after a dominant 10-match winning streak. However, the T20 World Cup, months later in Barbados, served as a fitting send-off for the legend.

The development of prominent Indian stars such as Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Sarfaraz Khan, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Washington Sundar, and many more during his tenure as U19 coach earned him significant acclaim. (ANI)