Rahul Dravid represented India in international cricket from 1996 to 2012. The former India captain recently revealed that, in his early years, he aspired to earn the respect of stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman. He also acknowledged that throughout his career, he gained invaluable lessons from greats such as Tendulkar, Ganguly, Laxman, and Virender Sehwag.
Widely regarded as a legend of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid enjoyed a remarkable career spanning 16 years. He featured in 164 Tests, 344 ODIs, and a solitary T20I. With 13,288 Test runs, he remains India’s second-highest run-getter in the format.
In ODIs, Rahul Dravid scored 10,899 runs, including 12 centuries, before retiring in 2012. Across formats, he accumulated over 24,000 runs, making him the third-highest run-scorer for India.
Rahul Dravid on Earning the Respect of Indian Cricket Legends
Speaking on the podcast “Haal Chaal Aur Sawaal”, Rahul Dravid said:
“You want to earn Tendulkar, Laxman, and Ganguly’s respect. You want them to say, ‘Okay, this guy can also play. He deserves to be in this room with us.’ That respect doesn’t come easy—it comes through performance, scoring runs, and delivering in tough conditions and situations.”
Rahul Dravid also emphasized how much he learnt from his senior teammates:
“I don’t think I was copying them, but I was definitely learning. Sharing the dressing room with Sachin, Sehwag, Sourav, Laxman, and even Gautam Gambhir at times, made my game better. You learn by watching how they prepare, how they play certain shots, and how they handle different challenges. Being around them pushes you to raise your own standards.”
Beyond his playing career, Rahul Dravid went on to serve as India’s head coach from 2021 to 2024. Under his leadership, India ended an 11-year ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup 2024. His tenure also included the Asia Cup 2023 title and a runner-up finish in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.