Dravid marches to 8000
Rahul Dravid's march to join the pantheon of great batsmen, as if he wasn't in that list already, continued when he got past 8000 test runs in India's second innings of the Delhi test against Sri Lanka. Of course, people will remember this test match for Tendulkar's 35th century and I am by no stretch of imagination trying to play down Sachin Tendulkar's achievement.
Dravid is, I think, the second fastest to 8000 test runs. He and Lara got there in 94 tests while Sobers made it in a paltry 90 tests. It is indeed a sobering [pun intended] thought that Bradman could have got to that mark in less than 60 tests, given he had 6996 runs in 52 tests! Dravid is now #2 on the list of highest averages for those with over 8000 test runs, behind Sobers.
I've been a long-time Dravid fan, having first I watched him in 1994 during a tournament featuring the 'A' teams from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. I watched his one-day debut live from the Padang. The next time I watched him bat, admittedly on TV, was when he made a classy 27 when all else around him was crumbling at Durban. I also wrote somewhere on CricInfo Interactive, possibly in response to a thread titled something like 'Dravid - Number one among Number threes', that I saw him as a future Indian captain.
I obviously got that part right.
Previous praise of Dravid: Most consec. tests since debut, 2nd highest average after scoring 7000 runs, the best #3 of all time (?), centuries in all countries, teaming up with Kumble and his LoRDship's slip catching skills.
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They don't call him the Wall for nothing. He has been rock solid. At one point in his career he was constantly getting out in the nervous nineties and eighties. I think the 1999 tour of NZ really transformed him as a batsman and he has not looked back since then!
I'm not surprised at his achievements, it was rather expected:-)
Another Dravid fan;-)And Tendulkar's too.
By 
Minal (12 Dec 2005, 6:12:00 pm)
Hi,
The poll "piece " is blocking the view- is there a way to remove it, or at least close that box?
Dennis Lillie was once asked to compare Ian and Greg chappel. He said, if I had to pick someone to bat for my life, it would be Ian.
I would echo the same for Mr. Dravid. He is Mr.dependable. This is a tag which, i dare say, his more illustrious compatriot has not had. It is arguable though.
By Srini (13 Dec 2005, 12:11:00 pm)
Minal: The nervous 90s etc. were between 1996 and 1998 or so. I do agree that the 1999 tour of NZ transformed him. He made two centuries at Hamilton and batted beautifully in the one-day series. I tend to also think that the disastrous series Down Under in 1999/2000 was also responsible because he definitely became a much more "attacking" [relatively speaking] batsman because he realized that if he stayed at the wicket without getting the runs, his effort was useless a lot of the time.
Venu: Will have a look. I've checked on Firefox and MSIE on Windoze as well as Opera on UN*X and I don't get this problem. What OS-browser combination are you using? If it is broke, we will fix :)
Srini: I'd be very happy if Dravid ended up being the Steve Waugh of Indian cricket. Tendulkar can be the Ponting/Mark Waugh etc.! I am an unabashed admirer of Rahul and I've kicked myself several times for having lived within a stone's throw of his house in Bangalore a couple of years ago and not realizing it!
By Jagadish (13 Dec 2005, 12:19:00 pm)
Well you are right about that 99 Tour too. Where he amassed a mere 93 runs in what 6 innings? He washed away all his demons against Warne and Aus in that 180 at Kolkatta, 2001. I've never seen him give such a fierce reaction after completing his century, he meant business and then two years later went down to complete his revenge. 233 and 72* at Adelaide to seal India's victory. Boy they do not say Revenge is Sweet for nothing:-) Dravid's was probably the most sugar-coated!
By Minal (14 Dec 2005, 10:42:00 am)
Minal: Yes, the only high point of that tour for him would have been that splendid catch he took at a very squarish mid-wicket off a full blooded pull from Moin in one of the one-dayers of the triangular series which followed the tour.
By Jagadish (14 Dec 2005, 7:58:00 pm)
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