A talismanic batsman, an agile fielder, a thinking captain and a handy wicket-keeper as well, Rahul Dravid celebrates his 48th birthday on Monday (January 11). Hailed as The Wall, the right-handed batsman had a rock-solid defence through which he tormented bowlers all over the world. Be it facing Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath in WACA or tackling Muttiah Muralitharan in a Day 5 Galle track, Dravid rose to all challenges which came his way. In fact, the right-handed batsman earned the 'Mr Dependable' tag for his knack of fulfilling every role. Rahul Dravid Birthday Special: Net Worth, Playing Hockey as a Youngster and Other Interesting Facts About The Wall.

From opening position to number six slot, Dravid batted everywhere in ODI cricket as per team's demand. He even kept wickets for India in the 2003 World Cup – doing a pretty decent job. Moreover, he took over the reins of the national team when Sourav Ganguly was infamously terminated. While the Bangalore star is still hailed as one of the best batsmen, his will to fill every hole in the skip made him stand apart from everyone. However, it still remains his batting which is giving nightmare to bowling line-ups. As The Wall turns a year older, let's revisit some of his best knocks. Rahul Dravid Beats Sachin Tendulkar in Wisden India's Poll for Greatest Indian Test Batsman.

145 Against Sri Lanka in 1999

The talismanic batsman played a sensational innings in India's 1999 World Cup meeting against Sri Lanka and showcased his other style of batting. Coming to bat at number three, Dravid joint forces with Tendulkar and the duo made an absolute mockery on the Lankan bowlers. Dravid, especially, looked at his peak and scored runs to all the parts of the ground. He became, even, more aggressive in the latter half of his knock and went to score a 129-ball 145.His heroics guided India to a score of 373/6 in the first innings and subsequently a 157-run win.

180 Against Australia in 2001

Although the third Test of Australia's 2001 Tour of India is remembered for VVS Laxman's majestic 281, Rahul Dravid also played a crucial knock in the game. Following on in the third innings, the Karnakata batsman came to bat at number six with big names Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly back in the hut. A humiliating loss for India was set on the cards. Notwithstanding, David has other ideas as he built a mammoth 276-run partnership with Laxman and the duo guided their side to a score of 657/7 and subsequently a 171-run triumph.

233 & 72* Against Australia in 2003

Dravid played a colossal in the second Test of India's 2003 Tour of Australia and guided his side to a remarkable victory. The Steve Waugh-led side scored 556 runs in the first innings, and their victory looked all set. Nevertheless, Dravid came to bat in the second innings and started his mission of avoiding the inevitable. The likes of Tendulkar and Ganguly got perished cheaply, but no Aussie bowler could break the resilience of Dravid. He went to score a great double ton and guided the visitors to 523 runs. In the last innings of the match, Dravid again showcased his skills and scored an unbeaten 72 to guide his side to victory.

270 Against Pakistan in 2004

Batting first in the third Test of India's 2004 Tour of Pakistan, the hosts were bundled out for 224 in the first innings, and the track looked like a nightmare for the batsmen. Moreover, India lost Virender Sehwag off the very first ball in the second innings. However, Dravid walked in at three, and since then, it was a one-man show. The batting juggernaut toiled the Pakistani bowlers and played a marathon knock. He brought up his highest Test score a guided India to a total of 600 runs. Pakistan again put up a dismal batting performance in the third innings and lost the match by an innings and 131 runs.

105 Against West Indies in 2006

Another Rahul Dravid special was seen in the opening ODI of India's 2006 Tour of West Indies. In the absence of Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly, Dravid opened the innings with Virender Sehwag and looked at his prime. Chasing a peculiar total of 252 runs, India lost Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh for low scores and the run-rate was constantly increasing. Well, Dravid again came to India's rescue and piled a crucial partnership with Mohammed Kaif. Along with being watchful, Dravid also scored runs rapidly and brought up a scintillating ton. His efforts proved to be fruitful as the Men in Blue clinched the clash by five wickets.

92 vs England in 2007

Known for his traditional-style batting, Dravid played a blistering knock in the second ODI of India's 2007 tour of England. Coming to bat at number in the first innings, Dravid went after the bowlers from the outset and scored runs all over the Bristol stadium. The likes of Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson were smashed all over the park as the skipper made an unbeaten 92 off mere 63 balls. As a result, the Men in Blue posted 329/7 while batting first and eventually won the game by nine runs.

Rahul Dravid bid farewell to international cricket in 2012 and gave a breather to many bowlers worldwide. Nevertheless, he continued to associate himself with the game after his retirement too and became a coach. He worked the junior Indian side and also guided Under-19 Indian side to the 2018 Under-19 World Cup triumph. He is currently serving as the Director of National Cricket Academy (NCA) and will seek to produce many prominent cricketers for the nation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2021 08:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).