@@@@ Rahul Dravid's Odi Career In Pictures, True Legend @@@@

March 9, 2012

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Rahul Dravid faced a lot of criticism in his formative years for his perceived inability to score at a pace suited for ODIs, and it wasn't until 1999 that he managed to seal a permanent spot in the team

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A prolific series in New Zealand in early 1999 silenced his critics and sealed his World Cup berth. Dravid's century at Bristol against Kenya was eclipsed by Sachin Tendulkar's, as the pair added an unbroken 237 runs for the third wicket. It was the highest partnership in World Cup history. Until India's next match.

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Dravid teamed up with Sourav Ganguly against Sri Lanka to pile up 318 for the second wicket, which became the all-time highest ODI stand. That record stood for less than 6 months - Dravid and Tendulkar added a mind-boggling 331 against New Zealand in Hyderabad. There have been no other 300-run stands in the ODI game before or since

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Dravid finished as the highest run-getter in the World Cup, one of India's lone bright spots in a campaign than ended before the semi-finals.

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The match-fixing scandal erupted in 2000, costing India two of their most-experienced middle-order batsmen. Suddenly, Dravid - along with the new captain Ganguly and Tendulkar - was a part of the leadership group. Dravid was in good form as India made the final of the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Kenya

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March 9, 2012

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Dravid carried his fine touch from the home Tests against Australia - where he shared in a path-breaking stand with VVS Laxman - into the home ODIs. He top scored in the victory in the first match in Bangalore

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The famous win in the Natwest Trophy in 2002 convinced India to adopt a seven-batsman strategy. Vice-captain; Middle-order prime-mover; Wicketkeeper - Dravid began to handle several roles with ease

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India's batting order was in good fettle as they stormed to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka. The final was washed out, and the trophy shared with the hosts

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Dravid's century helped India chase down 325 against West Indies in Ahmedabad - the second time within five months they had successfully chased a 300-plus target, a rarity in those days

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With the top-order chock-full with stroke-makers, Dravid adapted his game to become a dangerous floater as India surged through the league stages of the 2003 World Cup

March 9, 2012

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He played an important role in the rise of Yuvraj Singh, and the pair shared in several memorable stands - none more significant than the unbroken 99 in Centurion game against Pakistan. India's World Cup run, was however stalled in the final against Australia

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The new-look Dravid continued to stun bowling attacks that may have once considered him a slow-scorer. He smashed a 22-ball 50 against New Zealand at home, only the second fastest by an Indian batsman

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Dravid contributed 74 off 64 balls as India registered a famous win against Australia in Brisbane, but they went on to lose their third final in as many tournaments to the world champions

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Dravid top scored with 99 in the electric Karachi ODI that marked a resumption of ties between India and Pakistan. India made 349 and Pakistan got to within five runs of the target in a daredevil chase

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March 9, 2012

March 9, 2012

With form and fitness catching up with Ganguly, Dravid found himself captaining the team off and on - a job that was going to become his own on a full-time basis soon. Here he reaches 50 in Dambulla in another tri-series where India failed at the final hurdle

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Greg Chappell's appointment as coach coincided with Dravid's ascension to full-time captaincy, and together they ushered in the post-Ganguly era

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Under their watch, India set up an astonishing sequence of 17 successful chases on the trot, which spanned a home series win against Sri Lanka and a drawn series against South Africa

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Dravid, Yuvraj and MS Dhoni formed the bulwark of the Indian middle order as India strolled to a 4-1 win in Pakistan

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Dravid scored the last of his 12 ODI tons in Kingston as India completed another victorious chase. The sequence ended in the next match, and India went on to concede four games on the trot and the series 1-4

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Dravid was among the runs, but India's young guns went through a slump in the Champions Trophy, and South Africa ODIs that followed. The selectors panicked and Ganguly was soon back in the side

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March 9, 2012

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The Chappell way was shunned, but the return of senior players did not work, and India were eliminated in the first round of the 2007 World Cup. The clock was ticking on Dravid's captaincy tenure

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Soon after, he produced one of his best ODI knocks - a 63-ball 92 against England in Bristol. He stepped down from captaincy after the series - in hindsight, a move that hastened the end of his ODI career

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A poor series against Australia followed, at the end of which Dravid was dropped altogether from the Indian ODI side

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He continued to contribute in Tests, but his ODI career seemed all but over - until the selectors panicked ahead of the 2009 Champions Trophy in seaming South Africa and recalled their go-to man. Dravid top scored in the defeat against Pakistan, but was promptly dropped at the end of the tournament.

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Dravid had no part to play in India's World Cup win at home in 2011. Less than five months later, the selectors were in panic mode once again. Even Dravid was surprised when he was recalled for the England ODIs and Twenty20. This time he decided to quit on his own terms.

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[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]His last innings was a microcosm of his ODI career - a polished 69 that allowed the belligerent Virat Kohli express himself at the other end. Dravid walked back to warm applause from the England fielders and the crowd at Cardiff[/font][/color]