About The Wall

India’s batting rock at No. 3, skipper who won tough series in the West Indies and England and one who took up the unglamorous task of player development, Rahul Dravid is being roped in as India head coach to succeed Ravi Shastri. A brief timeline:

1996

Impressive India Test debut on the England tour with Sourav Ganguly, marking the start of a fresh generation of batters alongside Sachin Tendulkar.

2001

The hero, as VVS Laxman’s ally, in India’s sensational win over Australia at Eden Gardens, sparking the comeback series win.

2003 -07

Captained in 25 Tests, achieving series wins in the West Indies (2006) and England (2007). India’s first-ever Test win in Pakistan (2004) was under him.

2016 -19

Took over work to oversee player development in 2015, and held the post of U-19 and India A coach, chalking a path for player to graduate to the national team.

2012

Retired from Tests. His 164 matches, aggregate of 13,288 runs and 36 centuries are second highest for India—only Sachin Tendulkar has done better. Dravid is the most successful slip catcher in Tests.

2018

Guided the Prithvi Shaw-led side with Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti to U-19 World Cup in 2018. India reached final in 2016 and 2020.

2019

Dravid, named to head National Cricket Academy, credited with putting in place a coaching template. Was in the running for senior coach’s job in 2016 and ‘17.

2021

First sign he may be willing to take over the senior team came when he went as coach on India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in July.