Rahul Dravid (born 11 January 1973) is a former Indian cricketer, captain and head coach. Nicknamed “The Wall” for his solid defence, he scored 13,288 runs in 164 Tests and is one of the finest batsmen India has produced. After retiring he became an influential coach. He guided India’s Under-19 team to the 2018 World Cup, then, as head coach of the senior team, to the 2024 T20 World Cup title.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Rahul Sharad Dravid |
| Nicknames | The Wall, Mr Dependable |
| Born | 11 January 1973, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Age | 53 |
| Role | Right-handed batsman, occasional wicketkeeper |
| International career | 1996–2012 |
| Record | 164 Tests (13,288 runs, 36 centuries); 344 ODIs (10,889 runs) |
| Coaching | India Under-19 and India A (2015–2019), India head coach (2021–2024) |
| Spouse | Vijeta Pendharkar (m. 2003) |
| Children | 2 (Samit, Anvay) |
Early Life
Dravid was born in Indore into a Marathi family and grew up in Bangalore (now Bengaluru). His father worked for a food-preserving company and his mother was an architecture professor. He began playing cricket at 12, represented Karnataka at junior levels, and studied commerce at St. Joseph’s College of Commerce.
Career
Dravid made his Test debut at Lord’s in June 1996, scoring 95 in the same match in which Sourav Ganguly made a debut century. His patient technique made him the anchor of India’s batting. At Kolkata in 2001 he and V. V. S. Laxman put together a famous partnership against Australia that turned a follow-on into victory. He scored 602 runs in the 2002 series in England. At Adelaide in 2003 his 233 and 72 not out brought India their first Test win in Australia in over two decades. He also kept wicket in ODIs, which helped balance the team at the 2003 World Cup.
Dravid captained India from 2005 to 2007. His team won Test series in the West Indies and in England, but it went out early at the 2007 World Cup. He carried on as a batsman, and in 2011 he scored three centuries in England. He retired from international cricket in 2012 as the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, and he has faced more balls than anyone else in Test cricket.
As coach of India’s Under-19 and A teams, Dravid developed a generation of players, including Shubman Gill, and won the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. He then headed the National Cricket Academy. He became head coach of the senior team in 2021. India reached the 2023 World Cup final and won the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados, and he ended his tenure after that. He coached Rajasthan Royals in the 2025 IPL season.
Personal Life
Dravid married Vijeta Pendharkar, a surgeon, in 2003. They have two sons, Samit and Anvay, who both play junior cricket in Karnataka. He is known for his modesty and sportsmanship, and he has spoken publicly on education and the ethics of sport.
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Rahul Dravid born?
Rahul Dravid was born on 11 January 1973 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India and is 53 years old.
What is Rahul Dravid’s role?
Role: Right-handed batsman, occasional wicketkeeper.
Featured image: Rahul Dravid in a candid portrait. Photo by Chubby Chandru, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
