Rahul Dravid

Rahul Sharad Dravid (born 11 January 1973) is a former Indian cricketer and the current head coach of the Indian cricket team. Known as "The Wall" and "Mr. Dependable," Dravid was one of the greatest Test batsmen in cricket history, scoring 13,288 runs in 164 Test matches — the fourth-highest in Test cricket at the time of his retirement. Born in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and raised in Bangalore, Karnataka, Dravid was the backbone of India's batting lineup for over 15 years. He was particularly renowned for his technique against fast bowling, his patience, and his ability to bat for long periods. He holds the record for spending the most time batting in Test cricket — over 22,000 minutes at the crease. Dravid was also an exceptional ODI batsman, scoring over 10,000 runs. He famously kept wickets in ODIs to accommodate team balance, showing his selfless attitude. He was named ICC Player of the Year in 2004 and Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2000. After retirement, Dravid became the head coach of India's Under-19 and A teams before being appointed head coach of the senior Indian cricket team in 2021. Under his coaching, India won the 2023 Asia Cup and reached the final of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2023 — India's highest civilian honor — becoming the first sportsperson to receive it after Kapil Dev.