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IPL

Sunrisers claim first win of the season with 15 run victory over Delhi Capitals

Hyderabad (162/4) have handed the Capitals (147/7) their first loss of the IPL season in the same match the Sunrisers claim their first victory, with the home side winning by 15 runs.

Hyderabad were sent into bat after Delhi won the toss, with opening pair David Warner and Jonny Bairstow combining for a 77-run first-wicket partnership.

The Australian went for 45 runs off 33 deliveries, hitting five boundaries until he was dismissed in the 10th over after edging a reverse sweep attempt behind to Capitals keeper Rishabh Pant off leg-spinner Amit Mishra. First drop Manish Pandey managed just three runs before a top edge shot to Kagiso Rabada gave Mishra his second wicket, welcoming Kane Williamson to the crease.

Williamson and Bairstow put together a 52-run partnership until the 18th over, with the Englishman being dismissed for 53 runs from 48 balls. Williamson continued to look deadly for the Sunrisers, knocking 41 from 26 deliveries. The New Zealand captain was dismissed with two balls to spare in his side’s innings.

Abdul Samad and Abhishek Sharma ended the innings not out, scoring 12 (7) and 1 (1) respectively. Rabada and Mishra were the only two wicket-takers for Delhi, with the batting side ending the 20 overs on 162/4. The South African went for 21 runs off his four overs, while Mishra went for 35 for his spell.

Anrich Nortje and Ishant Sharma proved to be costly for Delhi, with the South African ending a four over spell with 40 runs next to his name. Sharma opened the bowling and ended the innings with 26 runs from his three overs. Australian Marcus Stoinis and all-rounder Axar Patel went for 22/0 and 14/0 respectively. 



It made for an exciting first innings, and for all other latest Cricket news, scores, tips and podcasts, visit Sportsadda.com, along with videos, squad information and much more.

As the change of innings came, the Capitals were going to need a strong start to their chase as Hyderabad planned to transition their confident batting display into an attacking onslaught with the ball in-hand.

Unfortunately for Delhi, their opening partnership failed to last the opening over as batsman Prithvi Shaw was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar for just two runs from five balls. Shaw edged a passing delivery behind to Bairstow, giving the Sunrisers an early victory.

First drop Shreyas Iyer joined Shikhar Dharwan at the crease, with the partnership adding 40 runs until the eighth over. Iyer was soon dismissed off a menacing Rashid Khan delivery, with the batsman being caught by Abdul Samad for 17 runs.

Dhawan continued his onslaught alongside Pant, before the Indian opener was caught behind, giving Khan his second wicket of the game. Dhawan left the pitch with 34 runs from 31 deliveries.

Incoming batsman Shimron Hetmyer and Pant looked comfortable together at the crease, adding 42 runs before the West Indies striker was caught by Manish Pandey off a Kumar delivery. The Capitals sat at 104/4 off 15.1 overs, needing 59 from from their final 29 deliveries. Australian all-rounder Stoinis joined Pant at the crease, only for the keeper to go out in the next over.

Pant was caught by Priyam Garg for 28 runs to give Khan a third wicket of his spell, leaving Stoinis and Patel at the crease needing 36 runs from 20 deliveries. The Australian was soon the next piece to fall, ending his stint with just 11 runs as Delhi continued their chase with two overs to spare.

Patel failed to take advantage of the Sunrisers’ attack, while tail-ender Rabada quickly moved to 15 from 7 deliveries. Patel was dismissed with three balls to go, bringing Nortje to the crease. The Capitals required 25 from the final three deliveries, and the victory was sown up for Hyderabad.

The Capitals ended 7 wickets for 147, 15 runs short of their target, handing the Sunrisers their first win of the campaign, with Rashid Khan winning Man of the Match honours for his three wicket spell, conceding just 14 runs from four overs.

Kumar added two wickets of his own, bowling 25/2 off four overs, while Khaleel Ahmed (43/1) and Thangarau Natarajan (25/1) also had a hand in the dismissals. Sharma ended his four wicket spell with 34 runs against his name without taking a wicket.

Hyderabad moved to a 1-2 record in sixth while Delhi sit in second with a 2-1 start. The Sunrisers will look ahead to their clash against Chennai Super Kings in a couple of days time, while Delhi will host Kolkata Knight Riders on the weekend.

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Uncategorised

Top 4 contenders for the Orange Cap in IPL 2020

The 13th and 2020 edition of IPL is all set to commence from September 19 this year. The event is scheduled to be take place in United Arab Emirates where the pitches closely resemble the kinds that are prepared in India. A good number of batsmen taking part in the league would be looking forward to put their firepower on display.

We took stock of all the batsmen expected to join the action and have attempted shortlisting four possible contenders for the Orange Cap in the upcoming tournament. It’s worth noting that each one of these players is not just a huge favourite in the real sports betting world, but in the virtual sports betting markets too. Below are our picks:

Virat Kohli

The captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore had a fairly average IPL 2019 irrespective of scoring a 100. Looking back, he actually found his touch only towards the end of that event, and by that time RCB was pushed far below many teams in the table. However, Virat Kohli continues to be a force to reckon with in all three formats of the game. He still holds the record for scoring maximum number of runs, 973 to be precise (in IPL 2016) in any single IPL. Kohli is very capable of repeating that performance and would be itching to go after the bowlers. Therefore, he is definitely a strong contender for Orange Cap in IPL 2020.

Rohit Sharma

Just like Kohli, Sharma too had an average IPL 2019 with the bat. In fact, he never really came across as being present at the crease. But he was completely on the money when it came to the captainship responsibilities, something that was good enough to land Mumbai Indians their 4th IPL title. Unlike Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma has never managed to win the Orange Cap in IPL. In fact, the only batsman in Mumbai Indians who has ever won an Orange Cap is none other than Sachin Tendulkar. Rohit would be looking forward to correct that anomaly and also win another IPL title for Mumbai in the process.

David Warner

IPL’s Orange Cap and David Warner are no strangers to each other! In fact, the Australian has won it thrice, more than any other player in the history of the tournament – in 2019, 2017 and 2015, having scored 692 runs, 641 runs and 562 runs respectively. Chris Gayle comes close second with two Orange Caps. Warner, who is also the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad has been in excellent nick and would be very keen on winning it the fourth time too.

KL Rahul

Ever since he joined Kings XI Punjab, KL Rahul has become a completely different player. He will be captaining the Punjab side in IPL 2020 and would be eager to lead from the front in the batting department. The talented batsman has the mental strength to handle the pressure of being their captain as well as premier batsman, and would be hoping to help them win their maiden IPL title in UAE. An Orange Cap would undoubtedly be the perfect icing on the cake!

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Uncategorised

Who are the Best Wicketkeeper Batsmen in Test Cricket?

The primary job of a wicketkeeper is to provide a safe pair of hands behind the wicket, but if they can also contribute a lot of runs with the bat, it can be a huge bonus for a team.​

Adam Gilchrist saved so many innings when he arrived at the crease in the middle order for Australia in the 90s and 00s, while Alec Stewart had a very good batting average for England.​

Here is a look at some of the best wicketkeeper batsmen in Test cricket today.​

Jos Buttler (England)

​Jos Buttler is one of the most explosive batsmen in all formats of the game. If he didn’t keep wicket for England, he would be in the team as a specialist batsman. It is a huge bonus then for them that he is able to field as their wicket-keeper, a role he has grown into.​

Buttler has 17 half-centuries for England in Test cricket. He is able to provide quick runs for his team if required to do so.​

Although his form has not been great in 2020, he is a very dangerous batsman, as he showed against India in 2018 when he scored 106 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.​

Buttler will be hoping he can play a big part in helping regain the Ashes Down Under in 2021. England are 11/4 in the cricket betting for the 2021/22 Ashes series so they need their best players to step up in what is going to be a tough challenge for them.​

Tim Paine (Australia)

​Australia have had a lot of success over the last couple of years in Test cricket and a large amount of credit has to go to their captain, Tim Paine. The 35-year-old wicketkeeping batsman has not only done a great job of leading the team, he has been very consistent with the gloves and bat.​

Although he is not as explosive as Gilchrist, Paine has proved to be a big asset for Australia in the middle order. The Aussie skipper has so often been able to steady the ship for his side when needed.​

His best score so far in Test cricket is 92, which came against India in Mohali in the First Test of that overseas series in 2010.​

Rishabh Pant (India)

​The youngest player on this list is India’s Rishabh Pant. The 22-year-old is one of the most exciting young stars in world cricket.​

Pant took over the wicketkeeping role from MS Dhoni so he has had big gloves to fill, but he has got off to a fantastic start.​

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In the series against West Indies in 2019, Pant became the fastest wicket-keeper to pick up 50 dismissals in Test cricket, beating the previous record set by his predecessor, Dhoni.​

Pant’s batting average is currently 44.35 which says a lot about his form with the bat. If he continues on the projection he is going, he has a great chance of becoming the undisputed number one wicket-keeper batsman in world cricket over the next couple of years.​

All three of the above batsmen will be in contention for being named in the ICC Test team of the year at the end of 2020.

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Cricket Opinion

How Was Cricket Invented?

Cricket is one of the world’s most beloved sports. Simple on the surface yet tactical and requiring patience, it’s grown to be a fan favourite across the globe.

Nowadays, you can choose from a vast range of markets on cricket at Sportsbet, covering everything from sixes to wickets. But behind this now-modern sport is a rich history steeped in tradition and heritage.

While many see it as a typically British game that’s lasted generations, cricket can be traced back through many different time periods, all of which have had some effect on its development.

Early versions of cricket

Historians have often traced back cricket’s origins to rural England, with the 13th or 14th century providing painting and drawings that depicted people playing a bat and ball game that held many similarities to the sport.

In its early form, villagers would simply use a gate as what would later be known as the wicket and use a thick branch or stick as the bat. It’s believed a stone was the first projectile used as a means to try to hit the gate.

It wasn’t until the 17th century that counties, grammar schools and farm communities began playing the game with clear rules, a weighted ball and a carved-out bat that could be manipulated to play different kinds of shots.

During this century, batting took on much more precedence than bowling, with the main aim being to hit as many runs as you could.

Rules and betting

As we can see in our modern world, cricket and sports betting are closely tied. This relationship dates back to the mid-18th century when the emergence of betting within the game was key to the sport introducing set rules and regulations.

When cricket grew in popularity, the upper class and nobles of England saw it as an opportunity to place high-stakes bets on who would come out on top as the winner in each county.

With serious money being incorporated into the game, early cricketing authorities – known then as ‘Star and Garter Club’, came up with clear rules to make the game more defined. These included additions such as LBW, a third stump and a stamp on the maximum width a bat could be.

The very first established ‘professional’ fixture was the inaugural clash of two of the most famous academic institutions in the country – Eton and Harrow.

Technique development

Until the 19th century, the focus of the game was largely on batting, with bowlers throwing the ball underarm. Until this time, they had the freedom to throw high, low or as fast as they liked – but this changed when a new rule was introduced in 1864.

The governing body at the time saw it fit to level the playing field and take some of the focus off of batting and require more precision and skill when bowling. That year, they introduced the rule that bowlers must throw the ball overhand.

This drastically changed the outlook of cricket, as no longer were batsmen merely testing their hitting power and enjoying directing the ball where they wanted. They now had to compete with balls coming at them as fast as 90mph and bouncing off the green in front of them.

As a result, it became commonplace for batsmen to protect themselves with padding and helmets, which was later enforced across the board as a rule.

New competitions

As cricket grew, so did the culture surrounding it. Cricket fields, which have since become historic, were perfected to provide the best surface for play and official bodies were set up to organise tournaments.

Universities gave way to county and club cricket, with professional players making names for themselves across the 19th and 20th centuries.

As cricket grew slower and more methodical in its approach, crowd engagement began to lessen, so officials decided to introduce new competitions and formats that were more appealing to those not looking to watch test series that spanned multiple days.

One-day knockout tournaments, both domestic and international, began drawing in larger crowds, while the appeal of Twenty20 cricket meant the sport had multiple ways to impose itself on the world stage.

Cricket, as we know it now, has had a long and complex history with many changes. It’s a testament to its appeal, however, that despite so many revisions it still stands as one of the world’s favourite games.

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Cricket Opinion

The Future of Cricket in India

If nothing else, cricket has proven to be an adaptable sport that continues to reinvent itself and to hold appeal to new fans.

The last couple of years in particular, punctuated by the acceptance of T20, have confirmed that the future of cricket will involve plenty of strategic and technical evolution.

This is indeed true of cricket in India also. With a rich history about to celebrate its 300th anniversary, the relationship between cricket and the country of India is full of interesting events, characters, and developments. Here are a few things that we can expect to see unfold as cricket in India transitions into its next phase.

Financial incentives will only increase

If you’ve spent any time on the India cricket website, you’ll appreciate how quickly speed and efficiency are changing the way that the game is played. With more dynamic and engaging resources available for fans online, it is safe to say that the number of cricket followers will continue growing and the sport will garner more and more media attention.

This means bigger sponsorship deals and more pressure on teams, players, coaches, and management to generate winning results.

A shift towards more specialization

With the likes of T20 and Test cricket gaining more traction in India, there will need to be an increasingly clear distinction between the different formats of this great sport. As fans and players alike become smart to the subtleties that make these iterations of the game so different, the separation will become more pronounced and players will have to decide what format is being suited to their skills and career ambitions.

Players will have to pick a side

This move towards specialization will also mean that some of the sport’s greatest talents will have to decide where to invest their effort as they are likely to find less success in a cross-format approach.

Whether that means mastering new skills or refining existing ones, even the likes of Ravindra Jadeja are going to have to double down on their signature abilities. This will also present opportunities for new players to emerge as stars, as the focus shifts away from all-rounders.

T20 might just be what takes cricket all the way to the Olympics

It has been over a hundred years since a game of cricket was staged at the Olympic games, but the time might soon again be right for the world’s top cricket players to battle it out at this prestigious event. With T20 offering a shorter and more Olympic-friendly version of the sport, it is not surprising to see certain powerful members of the cricket community once again campaigning for its inclusion.

More exposure for women’s cricket

If cricket does indeed make the leap to becoming an Olympic event, this could mean that the Women in Blue would be getting a whole lot more exposure. In a similar way to how rugby has enjoyed an uptick in popularity since it rejoined the Olympics in 2009, the same trajectory could be true of women’s cricket.

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Announcement

Your Guide to Virtual Cricket

No matter how technologically adept or up to date on the world of sports you may be, with the pace at which things evolve, it can be hard to keep track of what’s happening.

Over the last few years, virtual sports and betting have really taken off, and these days – you can watch and bet on pretty much every sport under the sun from the comfort of your living room. Cricket is no exception. But being a fairly new sport to take to the virtual stage, you might still have some questions about how it works. Let’s break down the basics of virtual cricket.

What exactly is virtual cricket?

If you’ve yet to check out a match of virtual cricket live, this is what you can expect. Playing out across two overs per inning, virtual cricket matches are actually a lot more realistic than some other virtual sports, like soccer for example.

Most sites incorporate actual filmed footage, so you get a taste of the real thing, in addition to a partial simulation of various game elements. You can also expect to hear plenty of informative and witty commentary from real cricket personalities and actual players.

How does a virtual cricket game unfold?

Typically, if you’re dealing with a game that is being live-streamed – the entire match should not take any longer than four minutes. Most virtual cricket games will begin with the home team up first to bat, the visiting team is up next and the ultimate result will be decided by the team who ends up scoring the most overall runs.

Virtual teams will also usually be assigned a star rating, one for batting and one for fielding. This gives betters the chance to make a more informed decision regarding whether or not they want to proceed with a handicap and the type of bet they’d like to place.

How can I bet on a virtual cricket game?

Betting on virtual cricket is fun, easy, and becoming more and more popular. Some will allow you to pick different parameters of the bet, including teams.

You can also bet on different aspects of the games, including how many boundaries will be scored and how many fours are scored using the over or under function.

There are also functions that give you the chance to back odd or even bet on the total runs scored in each match. It’s a good idea to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the different options available to determine which one is best suited to your knowledge of the game and your preference as a better.

How can I watch virtual cricket live?

It is simple and accessible to watch virtual cricket live and generally you can set up an account and get watching within a couple of minutes. There are different services you can use, but most will require you to sign up with some identifying details and create a username and password.

Most virtual sporting platforms also include a selection of other sports, so you can also watch and bet on things like motor racing, tennis, or horseracing if you’re interested. Once you’re logged in, you just go ahead and click on the sport you’re interested in and the current action will automatically begin to stream live, putting you square in the middle of the action.

This primary page for each sport is also where you can find all the betting options at your disposal. Thanks to everything being conveniently located in one place, you will be able to check out all the different kinds of bets while you’re already watching the match.

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Cricket News

England Stumble on Perfect Formula

England’s test team has struggled to find a balanced top order in recent years and those struggles have led to some embarrassing batting collapses. Ben Stokes’ heroics at Headingley in the 2019 Ashes series masked the fact that the hosts made just 67 on first innings and that effort was indicative of those issues at the time.

Moving forward from that series and into England’s tour of South Africa, that top six may finally be falling into place and while the recovery may come too late in terms of the World Test Championship, Joe Root’s men are suddenly looking in good shape for the 2021/22 Ashes.

Opening Up

“100 for Rory Burns” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by little-pete

It was well-documented that Alastair Cook had no fewer than 15 opening partners from his debut in 2006 through to his final test against India in 2018. 12 years is a long career but, following an extended period of stability with Andrew Strauss, it all began to fall apart.

Sam Robson, Adam Lyth, Mark Stoneman and Alex Hales are just four of those 15 players who failed to cement a place alongside the former captain at the top of the order. However, after a lengthy search, Cook’s retirement has indirectly led to what looks to be a stable pairing. Rory Burns and Dominic Sibley look to possess the technique, the patience and the mindset to bat long in test match cricket, and it’s all starting to look a lot more positive.

In Tandem

The Ashes series is always going to be a target and England’s batting is starting to fall into place. Early cricket betting markets show Australia as favourites to retain the urn at 8/15 but England’s price of 11/4 could hold some value.

The Burns and Sibley opening partnership started positively enough as they put on 52 for the first wicket against New Zealand back in November. It was a poor test for England overall but the two men had just started to bring some resistance back to a prime area of concern.

A freak injury to Burns in South Africa curtailed their partnership but they are expected to resume when test cricket returns. With Sibley averaging just over 40 from his first six matches and Burns starting to look solid after a modest early return, the two look to be the first choice opening pairing.

Through the Order

Behind the top two, the gritty Joe Denly looks to have done enough to keep his place at number three, but if the selectors turn to youth Kent colleague Zac Crawley could come in as replacement. With Joe Root and Ben Stokes to follow, England are suddenly looking far more solid as a batting unit and there are fewer weaknesses for the Aussie bowlers to exploit.

Australia vs England should always be a hard-fought series but when Root’s men last came here in 2017/18, a one-sided 4-0 victory for the hosts underlined those weaknesses. From November 2021 onwards, the emergence of a settled top order could make for a more close encounter.

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Cricket News

Where Cricket Fans Meet Online

Manchester: In this photo taken with a fish eye lens, Indian cricket fans cheer for their team during the Cricket World Cup match between India and West Indies at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Thursday, June 27, 2019. AP/PTI(AP6_27_2019_000218B)

If you’re a serious cricket fan who is currently lamenting the fact that you can’t go watch a match with your regular crew, you probably miss the camaraderie. Cricket fans are known for being a highly enthusiastic, entertaining, and welcoming bunch, so it is only natural that you would want to connect with those who share the same love of the sport that you do. Luckily, there are plenty of ways online to get in touch with other cricket fans and to swap stories, stats, and debate the details of all that goes into making cricket such a great game.

Dedicated cricket sports sites

Whether you’re checking out the latest Cricket news on Sportsadda or another popular sports site, take a look at their social media section to instantly be connected with other sports fans. Although many sites don’t allow for comments directly on their web pages, many post frequently on social media, and these posts serve as a rich springboard for varied discussion. Whether you prefer Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you can pick your favourite platform and start connecting with other fans.

Message and discussion boards

If the big social platforms aren’t really your style, you can also find more niche pockets of the internet to engage in discussion about your favourite cricket team. Just type in a specific opinion about a team or player, or a question you’re eager to get the answer to. Chances are you’ll be led to a place where you’ll find others eager to have the discussion.

Fantasy cricket

If you’re getting sick of talking and are looking to try your hand at something a little more interactive, fantasy cricket is a great way to build your knowledge of the sport and connect with other passionate fans. You’ll have fun using your imagination to draw up your dream team and can then begin the process of picking apart your opponents’ selection. Think of it as your chance to play coach and to see how your skills might stack up if you really were the one in charge.

Fan clubs

If you’re dedicated to a specific team, you’ll likely be able to find an active fan base for your club online. You might have to do a little searching to see which platform they’re most active on, but it is usually easy to figure out and you’ll then have access to a whole squad of like-minded fans. These groups often have contests, meetups, and other initiatives that allow people to connect on a more personal basis and develop their fandoms together. Can’t find what you’re looking for? You can always start your own.

Follow your favourite sports journalist

If you love one sports writer or commentator’s take on the game, it’s a good idea to check out their online presence. It will likely lead you to other fans who have the same outlook on the sport and appreciate a similar kind of analysis or commentary. Most sportswriters take their online persona quite seriously, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding links to other pieces they’ve done or publications they’ve written for.

Dating sites

Perhaps you’re looking to make a romantic connection with another devoted cricket fan? If you’ve never looked into the various sports-based dating services available online, you are in for a treat. Similar to other online dating websites, you fill out the information to populate your own profile and then you can begin sifting through profiles that match your interests and connecting with those that pique your interest. If cricket isn’t a solid foundation for a lasting relationship, we don’t know what is.

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Cricket News

Khawaja, Marsh miss CA contracts for 20/21

The worldwide careers of Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh are in jeopardy after they have been the large name casualties from Cricket Australia’s contract listing.

Twelve months in the past the pair were struggling with the obligation of keeping Australia’s Test batting order together within the absence of banned ball-tamperers David Warner and Steve Smith.

Their failure to stay up to that obligation might also have ended their time within the Baggy Green with both players dropped in 2019.

While Khawaja, 33, and Marsh, 36, are on the outer with selectors Marnus Labuschagne is looking the goods after a super first season at the top level.

Khawaja and Marsh had been joined by using out-of-favour all-rounder Marcus Stoinis at the ‘snubbed’ listing, at the same time as Test opener Marcus Harris became additionally left off.

In a media release, men’s countrywide selector Trevor Hohns discussed a number of the panel’s biggest decisions.

“There is a lot of cricket on the horizon throughout all three forms of the sport consisting of an ICC T20 World Cup, home Test summer against India, One-Day matches and a tour of South Africa,” he said.

“For that reason, it’s vital to discover a strong balance and a list which covers all forms of the game.

“With some of the squad crossing into all three codecs it offers us the advantage of being able to upload in specialists relying at the competition and the conditions. The depth of this squad and the achievement of the past one year offers us that strong base.”

Ashton Agar, Joe Burns, Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Kane Richardson and Matthew Wade received call-ups to the nationally contracted listing. All were upgraded to the contracted list inside the past 12 months.

“We feel all deserve their inclusion recognising the performances of those players within the past 365 days and, as importantly, what they could offer in the next 365 days,” Hohns said.

“Marnus’ upward thrust has been meteoric and properly documented, Joe has been an awesome Test suit participant, Ashton Agar’s form in T20 internationals has been exceptional, whilst Kane Richardson has been remarkable in the twenty over and one-day games.

“Matthew Wade’s summer confirmed he is not simplest a hard however a terrific Test player for us. His form prolonged into white ball cricket late in the summer, incomes him properly deserved name ups to the one-day and T20 Australian squads.

“After missing the listing ultimate yr Mitch Marsh’s recent shape confirmed he has quite a few international cricket beforehand of him as a batting all-rounder. Mitch proved this with his man of the in shape performance towards New Zealand at the SCG within the last game Australia played and a five-wicket haul inside the last Test match he played on the Ashes excursion.”

Nathan Coulter-Nile, Peter Handscomb and Ashton Turner have been the alternative players to drop off the contract list, at the same time as Peter Siddle has retired from worldwide cricket.

“As is always the case there are unfortunate omissions however, however, because you aren’t at the list does not suggest you can’t be selected to play for Australia.”

Players not presented contracts as a part of the preliminary squad of 20 can earn a place throughout the year by using accruing 12 upgrade factors. Players acquire five points for a Test match, two for a One-Day International and one for a T20 International.

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Cricket News

Only Words of Praise for Rahul Dravid

The former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian national team, Rahul Dravid, has been in the spotlight lately. Dravid has left a significant mark on the lives of his fellow teammates and opponents.

Dravid has not played in any cricket matches recently, but he is still a familiar name to hear when talking about Indian cricket. Cricket fans know him as Mr. Dependable, and he has proven to be such a player and person with his actions on and off the field.

Dravid’s Career

Dravid has been a part of the Indian national team as a batsman for 16 years, and two of them as a captain. Many fans and critics say that his career as captain is underrated. Dravid has led India in 25 Tests and 79 ODIs, with 8 and 42 wins, respectively.

Rahul has received many awards and national honors, such as the Player of the Year and the Test Player of the Year in 2000, awarded by the ICC. In 2018, he was introduced to the ICC Hall of Fame, making him the fifth Indian player to receive that honor.

He retired in 2012 and finished his career with 344 matches played in ODI and 164 Test matches. Dravid played best in Test matches where he holds a record of 210 catches as a non-wicketkeeper fielder. As a batsman, Dravid scored 13,265 runs at an average of 52.62 while playing for India.

Graeme Swann About Dravid

Graeme Swann, a retired English cricketer, recently reminisced about his country’s match against India. Swann mentioned that Sachin Tendulkar, another former Indian cricketer, has caused a lot of headaches for him. However, Swann’s biggest threat on the field was Dravid.

During his rookie years and a match between England and India at Kent in 2000, Swann felt terrified with Dravid across him on the field. Swann managed to get him out but admitted that he would not be able to do it generally. Consequently, it was the only time he got Dravid out and still made him feel like an “11-year-old spinner.”

Dravid as Karun Nair’s Rolemodel

Karun Nair, a promising Indian cricketer, has had the opportunity to play with Rahul Dravid a few times. Nair spent time with Rahul during the Indian Premier League before Dravid’s retirement. Karun remembers Dravid as a mentor that helped him, a domestic cricketer, pave a way to a national career.

Nair was a young and up-and-coming cricketer when Dravid decided to take a chance on him by giving him an opportunity to play for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. After that chance, he got another one to play with Dravid in the Delhi Daredevils.

MS Dhoni Learned from Dravid

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a former Indian cricketer, admitted that he has learned a few moves from Dravid. Dhoni is known as one of the best wicketkeepers in the history of Indian cricket. However, Dhoni acknowledged that he learned a lot about wicketkeeping skills from Rahul Dravid.

As we mentioned, Dravid was not a full-time wicketkeeper, but he perfected his skills on the field and passed them onto Dhoni whose wicketkeeping skills were not perfect at the start. Dhoni earned his spot in the national team thanks to his explosive batting skills.