From BCCI To Harbhajan Singh, Cricket Fraterity Extend Heartfelt Birthday Wishes To Rahul Dravid

January 11, 2025: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and former spin bowling legend Harbhajan Singh extended heartfelt birthday wishes to former captain and head coach Rahul Dravid on his 52nd birthday. Known for his impeccable technique and rock-solid defense, Dravid has been a pillar of Indian cricket and a respected figure both on and off the field.

BCCI took to X (formerly Twitter) to wish the batting legend, acknowledging his contribution to Indian cricket and his impressive career that spanned over two decades. Harbhajan Singh, a former teammate of Dravid, also shared a special message on the platform, calling him the "epitome of discipline and commitment."

Harbhajan wrote, "Heartiest birthday greetings to 'The Wall' of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid. As a cricketer, he was the epitome of discipline and commitment, a player who could be relied upon to anchor the innings under any circumstance and perform when the team needed him most. May he always be blessed with good health, happiness, and success in everything he does. Wishing him a phenomenal and remarkable birthday which he greatly deserves."

Dravid is widely regarded as one of India's greatest batsmen, having represented the country in 164 Test matches, where he scored 13,288 runs at an average of 52.31, with 36 centuries and 63 fifties. He is the second-highest run-scorer for India in Tests and fourth overall. In 344 ODIs, Dravid scored 10,889 runs at an average of 39.16, with 12 centuries and 83 fifties. He also played a single T20I, scoring 31 runs.

Dravid’s career in the Indian Premier League (IPL) saw him represent teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals, scoring 2,174 runs in 89 matches at an average of 28.23.

After retiring from playing, Dravid transitioned to coaching and achieved tremendous success. He led the Indian U19 team to the ICC U19 World Cup 2018 victory and took the senior men's team to the finals of the 2023 ICC World Test Championship and the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. Although India’s World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak with a loss to Australia, the T20 World Cup victory in 2024 provided a fitting tribute to his coaching legacy.

Under Dravid’s guidance as U19 coach, many young Indian talents like Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Sarfaraz Khan, and others flourished, further cementing his legacy as a key mentor in Indian cricket.