During a recent appearance on the Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected,' Gautam Gambhir shared his belief that Rahul Dravid's impact on Indian cricket was profound, yet he never received the credit he deserved for his captaincy. Gambhir recalled that his own career started under two different leaders—Ganguly for ODIs and Dravid for Tests—and lamented that the latter's time at the helm of the Test team is frequently undervalued.
Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir in a recent interview on Star Sports show Cricket Connected felt Rahul Dravid did not get enough credits for his captaincy and that his impact on Indian cricket was immense. Gambhir reminiscing his past said he debuted in ODI under Ganguly’s captaincy and in Test under the captaincy of Dravid and it was sad that Dravid did not get his due credits for his stint as captain of the national Test team.
Gambhir observed that in the broader narrative of Indian cricket, the legacy of the 'greatest captains' usually centers on Ganguly, Dhoni, and Kohli, leaving Dravid's stellar work largely in the shadows. He maintains that Dravid is perhaps the most undervalued cricketer and leader the country has ever seen.
Looking at the numbers, Dravid helmed the side for 79 ODIs and 25 Tests, securing wins in 56% and 32% of those matches, respectively. His leadership was marked by several key triumphs, most notably a prestigious Test victory against South Africa during the 2006-2007 tour. He also guided India to a series win in the West Indies. Furthermore, Dravid cemented his legacy by becoming only the third Indian captain—following Kapil Dev and Ajit Wadekar—to win a Test series in England during the 2007 tour.