Jono
Virat Kohli (c)
After suggestions that Ponting's 156 in the 3rd test of the Ashes was his best innings he's ever played, I was thinking it'd be great to make a thread where we could discuss various players' best knocks or best bowling spells/performances in their career. It could result in some good debate, when we determine various criteria like the opposition, match situation, pitch etc.
So basically I'll name a player and we can have discussions and then after a fair few replies someone else will name a new player, whether bowler of batsman. We'll do both ODI and Tests, unless obviously the player is predominantly only a test or ODI player eg. Symonds.
I was specifically thinking about what Dravid's best test knock is the other day, as he's had so many terrific ones. And also the same with ODIs. So I'll nominate him first since I think it could be interesting.
Obviously Dravid's 233 at Adelaide in 2004 in the 2nd test was one of his finest (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2003-04/IND_IN_AUS/SCORECARDS/IND_AUS_T2_12-16DEC2003.html), and probably my favourite. His 180 in the famous Laxman/Dravid partnership was another (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2000-01/AUS_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/AUS_IND_T2_11-15MAR2001.html). I think the 2nd test against Pakistan earlier this year where he scored a ton in each innings was also fantastic (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004-05/PAK_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/PAK_IND_T2_16-20MAR2005.html), particularly his 2nd innings hundred because after Tendulkar and Ganguly fell they did seem in some trouble. However one knock I always remember from him was his first test hundred against South Africa at Johannesburg (http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1996-97/IND_IN_RSA/IND_RSA_T3_16-20JAN1997.html). He was up against a fairly good attack with Donald and Pollock doing some damage but batted fantastically and allowed India to almost win that game (light and rain had a lot to do with them not winning) despite it being a dead rubber with SA already having the series won.) What made it even more special was throughout the series he was being shifted around, something even being used as a make-shift opener which can't have helped him so early in his career.
Dravid didn't have the best start to his career in ODIs, but I feel his 107 against Pakistan (in the famous Anwar 194 match - http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1996-97/OD_TOURNEYS/IC-IND/PAK_IND_IC-IND_ODI6_21MAY1997.html) was a fantastic innings from him. Might not be his best, as the bowling attack he was against wasn't superb and it was clearly a typical ODI flat pitch, but when Tendulkar and then Ganguly fell early in the innings he played a great knock to get India fairly close to the huge target of . I remember watching and pretty much thinking India were done once Ganguly fell, but Dravid fought on. His 123 against NZ (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1998-99/IND_IN_NZ/SCORECARDS/IND_NZ_ODI1_09JAN1999.html) was also one of his good knocks earlier in his career, once again coming in a losing cause though.
What do you guys think is Dravid's best test knock and ODI knock?
So basically I'll name a player and we can have discussions and then after a fair few replies someone else will name a new player, whether bowler of batsman. We'll do both ODI and Tests, unless obviously the player is predominantly only a test or ODI player eg. Symonds.
I was specifically thinking about what Dravid's best test knock is the other day, as he's had so many terrific ones. And also the same with ODIs. So I'll nominate him first since I think it could be interesting.
Obviously Dravid's 233 at Adelaide in 2004 in the 2nd test was one of his finest (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2003-04/IND_IN_AUS/SCORECARDS/IND_AUS_T2_12-16DEC2003.html), and probably my favourite. His 180 in the famous Laxman/Dravid partnership was another (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2000-01/AUS_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/AUS_IND_T2_11-15MAR2001.html). I think the 2nd test against Pakistan earlier this year where he scored a ton in each innings was also fantastic (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004-05/PAK_IN_IND/SCORECARDS/PAK_IND_T2_16-20MAR2005.html), particularly his 2nd innings hundred because after Tendulkar and Ganguly fell they did seem in some trouble. However one knock I always remember from him was his first test hundred against South Africa at Johannesburg (http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1996-97/IND_IN_RSA/IND_RSA_T3_16-20JAN1997.html). He was up against a fairly good attack with Donald and Pollock doing some damage but batted fantastically and allowed India to almost win that game (light and rain had a lot to do with them not winning) despite it being a dead rubber with SA already having the series won.) What made it even more special was throughout the series he was being shifted around, something even being used as a make-shift opener which can't have helped him so early in his career.
Dravid didn't have the best start to his career in ODIs, but I feel his 107 against Pakistan (in the famous Anwar 194 match - http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1996-97/OD_TOURNEYS/IC-IND/PAK_IND_IC-IND_ODI6_21MAY1997.html) was a fantastic innings from him. Might not be his best, as the bowling attack he was against wasn't superb and it was clearly a typical ODI flat pitch, but when Tendulkar and then Ganguly fell early in the innings he played a great knock to get India fairly close to the huge target of . I remember watching and pretty much thinking India were done once Ganguly fell, but Dravid fought on. His 123 against NZ (http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1998-99/IND_IN_NZ/SCORECARDS/IND_NZ_ODI1_09JAN1999.html) was also one of his good knocks earlier in his career, once again coming in a losing cause though.
What do you guys think is Dravid's best test knock and ODI knock?
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