Rahul Dravid turns 50 - 5 best centuries by 'The Wall' in ODI cricket

Rahul Dravid recently turned 50. Although he hasn’t been having the best of times donning the hat of India’s coach, his reputation as a cricketer supersedes any setbacks he has/will face as the coach.

It is almost cliche to call him an under-appreciated cricketer. However, one aspect that is most certainly underrated is his ODI career. In a format in which he was deemed unfit in the mid-90s, his numbers are among the best in the business.

Happy Birthday, legend

Rahul Dravid's ODI brilliance

Rahul Dravid's ODI career spans a mind-boggling 344 matches, the 11th most in history. He is one of only 14 cricketers in history with 10,000+ ODI runs, and has the 4th highest number of half-centuries (83). Only Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, and Jacques Kallis have scored more 50s than him.

He was a rock-solid middle-order operator for India from the late 90s to mid-2000s. He also doubled up as a wicket-keeper often, between 2002-2005, enabling India to play seven batsmen. Rahul Dravid also has the 3rd highest number of runs in ODIs in a calendar year (1,761 runs), and holds the record for most consecutive ODI innings without a duck (120).

One can keep listing out the plethora of accolades he holds in the 50-over format. The legendary Indian batsman scored 12 hundreds in ODI cricket. In this article, we look at five of his best centuries in the format.

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123* (123) vs New Zealand - Taupo 1999

In a batting line-up that featured Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, and Mohammad Azharuddin, it was Rahul Dravid who stood tall and scored a breathtaking century at a strike-rate of 100.

It was that kind of day for Dravid. Walking in to bat in the 3rd over with the score at 3-1, and Sachin back in the hut, he showed intent from the get-go, picking up singles and doubles aplenty.

The Wall batted for the entirety of 50 overs, scoring 123 runs at run-a-ball. The only other batsman who made a reasonable contribution was Saurav Ganguly, who scored 60 off 88 balls. India ended up losing the match, but Rahul Dravid was adjudged the Player-of-the-Match. That's how special this century was.

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105 (102) vs West Indies - Kingston 2006

Rahul Dravid's final ODI century was one to cherish. It was the first game of a 5-match ODI series vs West Indies, and India were chasing 252 in 45 overs. Dravid opened the innings along with Sehwag.

The stiff ask became even more challenging as India slipped to 86-3 in 17.4 overs. Dravid was 36 off 44 balls as Mohammad Kaif joined him in the middle.

In what was almost a role reversal, Rahul Dravid played the aggressor in this partnership, while Kaif anchored and steered the ship. He scored 69 runs of his next 58 balls, taking India to the brink.

When he was dismissed, India needed just 45 runs of 37 balls - which Kaif, MS Dhoni, and Suresh Raina ended up getting with ease. A remarkable century punctuating a remarkable chase for India.

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145 (129) vs Sri Lanka - Taunton 1999

Innings of a lifetime

During the 1999 ICC World Cup in England, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly left a brutal trail of destruction on this day at Taunton. Facing off against the defending champions Sri Lanka, the pair put on 318 runs off just 269 balls for the second wicket to assert their authority and take India to a massive score of 373/6.

They came together in the first over itself, as Chaminda Vaas had Sadagopan Ramesh bowled off the 5th ball of the match. Dravid set the pace in the partnership, as he raced to his century at almost run-a-ball.

Short boundaries, a pitch with true bounce, and erratic bowling by Sri Lanka were utilized effectively, as Dravid hit 17 fours and one six in his 129-ball stay. Although Ganguly won the Player-of-the-Match award, if not for Dravid's brilliance, the match could have gone either way.

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153 (153) vs New Zealand - Hyderabad 1999

Just six months later after his mammoth partnership with Ganguly, Dravid was again part of a gigantic second-wicket stand. His partner-in-crime was Sachin Tendulkar this time. After being battered for 349 runs in the first match and subjected to a humiliating loss, India gave it back with interest in the 2nd match of the series.

The circumstances were similar as Dravid came to the middle in the 2nd over with the score at 10-1, and was dismissed only in the 48th over. The pair put together 331 runs, then a partnership record in ODIs.

Dravid's knock was laced with 15 fours and 2 sixes. Sachin Tendulkar was the one adjudged Player-of-the-Match for his unbeaten 186, but without Dravid giving him company, one can only guess what would have transpired.

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109* (124) vs West Indies - Ahmedabad 2002

Chasing 325 to win and 2-1 down in the series, Rahul Dravid walked into bat with the score at 45-2 in the sixth over. Doing what he does best, Dravid anchored the innings and ensured India were always in the hunt.

First, there was a 103-run partnership with VVS Laxman and a couple of small partnerships with Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif.

However, with the fifth wicket down, India still needed 94 runs off 75 balls and had their backs against the wall. The Wall was still standing tall, as he still held up one end, while Sanjay Bangar produced the innings of a lifetime on the other. India won comfortably in the end with 14 balls to spare as Dravid remained unbeaten at 109.