Rahul Dravid’s concentration and defence were impregnable and big games excited him, recollects Steve Waugh

While that wasn’t enough, his double century in Adelaide tilted the game in India’s favour, their first win in Australia after 22 years. Looking back at his marvellous contribution, former Australian skipper Steve Waugh recollected that Dravid’s concentration and defence were top-notch and always waited for the big games to leave an impression. He also remembered how the right-hander’s contribution alongside Laxman helped India to an unwinnable Test in Kolkata. 

“His concentration and defence were impregnable when he wanted to be and he had that fierce competitive attitude too, the big games really excited him, that’s when he played his best. Once he got in, it was so hard. Obviously, the most famous (innings of Dravid) is Kolkata win, he and Laxman batted all day. Pretty much turned the Test around. That was an unwinnable Test match,” said Waugh in a video, reported HT. 

“He was unflappable, fierce concentration, there was no point in trying to ruffle his feathers because you couldn’t do it. He was the glue who held them all together and the one banker they had in the side. I knew he was going to score runs, I knew he could occupy the crease and he could repel quality bowling which quality players can do. If he stepped up the gear he could play shots as good as any one, he was a world class player and equally hard to overcome as Tendulkar was.”