DRAVID146;S HOT DATES

While Team India8217;s ODI record under skipper Rahul Dravid has been patchy, it was the longer version where they reached new heights.

October 16, 2003 Mohali: Dravid gets a feel of the hot seat on the first day as Test captain. At Mohali, New Zealand put on 231/1 and subsequently all top three batsmen scored big hundreds. India barely managed to survive the Test that saw Ganguly sit out because of injury.

March 29, 2004 Multan: Dravid takes that unpopular decision of declaring the innings with Tendulkar on 194. Some call it as Indian cricket8217;s 8216;coming of age8217; decision, though Tendulkar fans don8217;t agree. But Sehwag8217;s 309 at Multan meant India won the Test. Dravid8217;s contribution as a batsman was 6.

April 7, 2004 Lahore: India need a big knock to save the second Test against Pakistan. Dravid scores a duck and the series is tied 1-1. Ganguly returns for third Test as India win the series 2-1.

October 26, 2004 Nagpur: Dravid is the stand-in skipper again as Ganguly, allegedly, sits out after an altercation with the curator of the overtly green pitch. Australia dismantles India, Dravid8217;s contribution in the Test 26 and 2.

November 5, 2005 Mumbai: Dravid takes the most inspiring decision as Indian skipper. Opting to bowl left-arm spinner Murali Kartik before the spin mainstay Anil Kumble sees India dismiss Australia for 93. India win but the series is lost.

December 10, 2005 Delhi: Early days as full time captain and Dravid decides to lead from front. With conventional opener Sehwag in hospital because of fever, Dravid walks out to open the innings despite not being in best of health himself. India win the Test but the braveheart skipper is hospitalised in the next Test at Ahmedabad.

February 1, 2006 Karachi: Dravid fails to repeat8217;s Ganguly feat of winning a Test series in Pakistan. Indian batsmen fail against Mohammad Asif8217;s swing. Dravid8217;s contribution 2 and 3.

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March 22, 2006 Mumbai: India all out for 100 in the 4th inning against a third-string England bowling attack. Dravid8217;s failure with the bat means England draw the series 1-1.

June 6, 2006 Antigua: India need two wickets in the last 10 overs to win the Test. Dravid tries everything: bowler change, end change, field change but just manages one. He is visibly frustrated.

July 2, 2006 Kingston: India record first series win after 1971. Though Kumble and Sreesanth are the bowling heroes for India , Dravid contribution with the bat too is significant.

December 18, 2006 Johannesburg: Few tense faces on field with the return of ex-captain Sourav Ganguly on the field. India are expected to be wiped off by South Africa but Dravid8217;s men win the first Test on the fourth day before lunch. This happens to be India8217;s first Test win in South Africa.

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December 26, 2006 Durban: Despite constant opposition from not just the think tank but virtually from all quarters, Dravid sticks to the man who won him the first Test as a captain in Multan. Out of form Sehwag keeps his place in the eleven as Dravid backs the troubled opener. India lose the Test and series 2-1.

July 31, 2007 Nottingham: Ganguly and his favourite pacer Zaheer Khan ensure Dravid leads India to victory. With Dravid failing with the bat and Ganguly proving to the batting mainstay on comeback tables have turned. Dravid is the new Ganguly and Ganguly the new Dravid, they say.

August 12, 2007 Oval: Dravid doesn8217;t enforce the follow despite a 319 runs first innings lead. Besides his 96 balls 12 ensure that the 8216;defensive8217; tag itched on him. India win the Test series in England after 1986. Little did one know that by now Dravid had enough of the high-intensity job.