da luck： Rahul Dravid joins the 10,000-run club

da dobrowin： Mathew Varghese29-Mar-2008
Rahul Dravid celebrated his entry into the 10,000-run club with a century in Chennai © AFP
With the 80th run during his 111 in Chennai, Rahul Dravid became only the sixth player – and the third Indian, after Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar – to reach the coveted milestone of 10,000 runs in Test cricket. He hasn’t been at his best of late – this hundred was his first since last May – but Dravid’s determination came to the fore yet again; perhaps it was fitting that he brought up the milestone with a typically characteristic knock, stonewalling his way to a hundred while Virender Sehwag stole the thunder with a blazing 319.Dravid reached the landmark in his 120th Test and 206th innings, and although both Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar required lesser number of innings, Dravid has achieved the same in the shortest time span, a few months under 12 years, almost two years lesser than Lara. With an average of 55.41, Dravid has the best average among those with over 10,000 runs.His career average is only bettered by two Indian batsmen, neither of whom has played more than three Tests. With a cut-off of at least 500 Test runs, Dravid’s average is the highest among Indians.

Best averages among Indian Test batsmen (at least 500 runs)

Player Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Rahul Dravid 120 206 10,031* 55.41 25/52 Sachin Tendulkar 147 238 11,782 55.31 39/49 Vinod Kambli 17 21 1084 54.20 4/3 Virender Sehwag 54 90 4677 53.75 14/12 Sunil Gavaskar 125 214 10,122 51.12 34/45
*Consistency has been a hallmark of Dravid’s batting: South Africa is the only opposition against which he has less-than-impressive numbers – his average is below 40 both against and in South Africa. He averages 45.78 against Australia, but against all the other seven Test-playing teams his average is more than 50. (For Dravid’s career batting summary, click here.)Like Stephen Fleming, who retired recently, Dravid too relishes the prospect of an overseas challenge. (He averages much higher that Fleming, though, managing over 50 both home and away.) Dravid’s home average is 51.75, while in overseas matches it shoots up to 58.50. Among those with at least 1000 away runs, Dravid’s average is fifth on the list. Don Bradman is far ahead with an average of over 100, while three England batsman – Ken Barrington, Wally Hammond and Jack Hobbs – occupy the next three spots with averages of 69.18, 66.32 and 59.91. Increase the cut-off to 4000 runs and the only batsman ahead of Dravid is Hammond, and the list of 15 offers a good comparison of Dravid’s away record against other profilic run-getters.

Best away averages (Min 4000 runs)

Player Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Wally Hammond41 72 4245 66.32 13/14 Rahul Dravid 69 1185968 58.50 16/29 Jacques Kallis 5291425557.50 14/18 Allan Border 70 1205431 56.57 14/28 Steve Waugh761165083 55.85 16/20The innings in Chennai was Dravid’s 150th at the No. 3 position. No other batsman has achieved the mark, and it’s no surprise that Dravid has scored the most number of runs at the position, closely followed by Ricky Ponting. In terms of averages, though, Bradman, Ponting and Sangakkara have higher numbers.

Top run-getters at No. 3

Player Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Rahul Dravid 94 150 7677 57.72 19/38 Ricky Ponting 75 128 7271 66.10 27/26 Kumar Sangakkara 65 100 5628 60.51 16/23 Don Bradman 40 56 5078 103.63 20/10 Richie Richardson 67 107 4711 47.11 14/21Dravid performs better in the first innings than second innings, but unlike quite a few other batsmen, his performance doesn’t crumble in the fourth innings of a match. He averages 46.17 in the fourth, while his third-innings averages is only marginally better at 47.67. Dravid has scored a total of 1293 runs in the fourth innings, but more significantly 878 of those have come in wins and draws, with his average nearly touching a hundred in those games.

Best averages in wins and drawn games in the fourth innings (min 500 runs)

Player Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Rahul Dravid28 22878 97.55 1/7 Bruce Mitchell 11 11 583 97.16 1/4 Ricky Ponting 36 26 1087 83.61 4/3 Inzamam-ul-Haq 25 16 609 76.12 1/5 Greg Chappell 28 19 600 75.00 1/4Dravid averages drops to a rather poor 27.27 in the 36 matches India have lost through his career, but he more than makes up in wins and drawn matches, averaging over 70 in those. His average in non-losses is among the best among the most prolific batsmen in Tests, making him one of India’s best match-winners with the bat.

Best averages in wins and draws (min 4000 runs)

Player Matches Innings Runs Average 100/50

Don Bradman 40 58 6044 125.91 27/7 Garry Sobers 68 111 6758 73.45 25/25 Rahul Dravid 83 133 8038 72.41 23/41 Wally Hammond 67 104 6198 70.43 22/18 Kumar Sangakkara 49 72 4485 70.07 13/19A feature of Dravid’s Test career has been his ability to string partnerships. He’s been involved in the most 100-run stands in Tests. Dravid has been part of ten century stands with three other batsmen in India’s middle-order – Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman. Gavaskar is the only other batsman who has had ten century stands with three partners.

Most 100-run partnerships by a player – Tests Player Matches Inning Partnerships 100+ 50+ Highest

Rahul Dravid 120 206 539 72 159 410 Sachin Tendulkar 147 238 487 66151 353 Ricky Ponting 116193 354 64 150 327 Steve Waugh 168 260 590 64 151 385 Allan Border 156265 616 63 167 332 Brian Lara 131 232 508 62 146 322 Sunil Gavaskar 125 214 519 58 143 344 Dravid’s last 1000 runs have taken the longest: he needed 30 innings to move from 9000 to 10,000. He required 24 to move from 4000 to 5000, and took 23 for his first 1000. Tendulkar was a slower starter than Dravid, but he caught up and got to 10,000 in 11 fewer innings.

Dravid’s progress to 10,000

Milestone Tests for Dravid Innings Tests for Tendulkar Innings

1000 14 23 19 28 2000 25 40 32 44 3000 39 67 45 68 4000 48 84 58 86 5000 63 108 67 103 6000 73 125 76 120 7000 82 141 85 136 8000 94 158 96 154 9000 104 176 111 179 10000 120 206 122 195