8. Rahul Dravid (India)
This unbreakable wall occupies the 8th rank in our list of top 10 greatest batsmen of all time
Rahul Sharad Dravid is known for his technique, and had been one of the best batsmen for the Indian cricket team. In the beginning, he was known as a defensive batsman who should be confined to Test cricket, and was dropped from the ODI squad due to a low strike rate. However in a period of his career, he began consistently scoring runs in ODIs as well, earning him the name THE WALL of Indian Cricket. Dravid has scored 36 centuries in Tests at an average of 53.19 and in one-dayers, he has an average of 39.49. He is one of the few players whose Test average is better at away than at home, averaging almost five runs more in foreign pitches. Everyone praises Sachin Tendulkar. He may be a genius in his own right, but , Rahul Dravid is an artist. One can’t get a better pleasure than watching Dravid’s defence tactics, his strokes, his cuts. Known for his calmness, Dravid made number 3 position in the Indian Test side as his own with his ability to play a long innings and holding an innings together. In 2011 test series against England, he opened the batting in place of injured Gautam Gambhir and carried his bat throughout the innings. Due to some poor performances, he called it a day in 2012. But there is no denial to the fact that he is one of the top 10 greatest batsman of all time. The youngsters of this Twenty20 generation should learn how to be patient and to build an innings from Dravid. He deserve a place in anybody’s list of top 10 greatest batsman of all time. This gives “Jammy” the number 8 spot in our list for Top 10 greatest batsman of all time.
“It does not get better than what Rahul Dravid did in this Test (the 2003 Test at Adelaide where he scored 233 and 72*). His batting was outstanding. Everyone has already exhausted superlatives so I would not bother myself with any additional praise but you could be sure my admiration for him has grown tremendously” – Allan Border, Former Aussie Skipper on Dravid’s match winning knocks in 2003 Adelaide Test.
