343 matches, an aggregate of 10,820 runs at a strike-rate of 71.16, with 12 centuries and 82 half- centuries to his credit, he also has 196 catches and 14 stumpings, Rahul Sharad Dravid, the Wall of Indian Cricket, bids adieu to ODI cricket. Having announced his retirement from the 50-over format following his surprise inclusion into the team for the ongoing disaster tour of England after a hiatus of nearly four years, 'The Wall' decided to end his ODI career after the England series.
Also known as 'Mr. Dependable', Rahul Dravid is surely one of the fines to have played the game. He was born on the 11th of January, 1973, made his debut on April 3, 1996, against Sri Lanka during the Singer Cup in Singapore; he captained the India side in 2005 to 2007. His wicket-keeping skills allowed the team to accommodate an additional batsman during the 2003 World Cup which saw the side finish runners-up.
In a career spanning over 15 years, Rahul Dravid has been a liability in the one-day arena, a true selfless player, Dravid retooled his game over the years to become an adept middle-order finisher, a high coming in during the 1999 World Cup in England where he finished as the top run-getter with an aggregate of 461 runs. During the tournament Dravid also etched his name into the record books becoming the only Indian to have scored back to back centuries during the World Cup. Dravid, who became a synonymous to consistency in Indian cricket, has often been forced to live under the shadow of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. As skipper, he had to see the humiliation of India being knocked out of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. Though he gave up his captaincy, he never lost his dignity.
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