^{Jamaica 2006: Dravid's one-man show seals historic series win}

Ten years ago, India’s tour of the West Indies boiled down to the fourth and final Test at Kingston, Jamaica. The pitch at Sabina Park had plenty in it for the bowlers, pacers and spinners alike, and demanded discipline and mental fortitude from the batsmen. As it turned out, only one man rose to the immense challenges on that dodgy surface - Rahul Dravid, whose twin fifties set up India's first series win in the West Indies in 35 years.
Ahead of India’s four-Test tour that starts July 21, here’s a recap of Dravid’s epic innings in that famous win.
The scenario
India came within one wicket of winning the first Test in Antigua, if not for West Indies’ final pair playing out 25 deliveries to escape with a draw. The second Test at Gros Islet was another ripper that went to the last ball, ending with West Indies seven down after being forced to follow-on. The third Test in St Kitts was also drawn, with India’s batsmen buckling down after Brian Lara refused to enforce the follow-on. Thus the final match at Kingston was poised for an intriguing finish. The winner would take the series.
Dravid to the fore
Dravid won his third toss and opted to bat for the third time, but soon found himself at the crease in the fourth over with India 2/3. VVS Laxman departed at 34/3, and as Jerome Taylor and Corey Collymore made further inroads. The innings was fast unravelling at 91/6. Left with only Anil Kumble and the tail, Dravid produced the first part of his masterpiece.
Dravid's match tally of 147 runs fetched India a historic win (AFP)
On a surface on which deliveries both kicked up off lengths and kept low, his watchfulness and shot selection was exemplary; this was the basis of Dravid’s game and India needed the master technician to entrench himself. Providing a masterclass in how to defend, Dravid batted 215 deliveries for his immense 81. With Kumble, who made 45 from 101 balls in 121 minutes, he added 93 before the lower order crumbled in the space of eight overs and for the addition of 16 runs. India were all out for 200, Dravid the highest contributor by far. The other six specialists batsmen made 54 runs between them.
Harbhajan turns it around
A young Sreesanth struck two big blows for India, getting Chris Gayle for zero in the first over and then Lara for 26, but it was Harbhajan Singh who really stunned West Indies with 5/13 in 4.3 overs. The result was that India claimed a crucial lead of 97, with West Indies bowled out for 103. The declining nature of the Kingston pitch was now the major talking point.
Dravid to the fore... again
On that minefield of a pitch, any target over 200 was going to seriously test West Indies’ batsmen. India once again slipped to early trouble, and Dravid was marking his guard in the fourth over of an innings for the second time in three days. The score read 6/2, with Taylor taking out India’s openers with accurate pace bowling. The situation demanded utmost discipline and once more, it was the skipper who stood up.
Taylor and Colleymore kept hitting the cracks and wickets fell. VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and MS Dhoni were gone inside 44 overs, while Dravid held one end up. As in India’s first innings, his attention to deliveries was awe-inspiring. His 68 off 166 balls was fractionally better than his 81, for here Dravid’s ability to play the ball later allowed him to survive and flourish. He hit 12 boundaries - two more than in the first innings - and was only undone by a shooter on the fourth morning. India made 171, setting the hosts a target of 269. Dravid’s second fifty had set the stage for a historic series win.
Kumble seals historic victory
Sreesanth again provided the early strike in the first over, giving Gayle his second duck of the match, and then bowled Daren Ganga to set the tone for Kumble to pounce. And pounce he did, running through the batting with 6/78 in 22.4 overs to bowl India to a famous series win. But there was only one man the adjudicators could consider for the most impactful performance of the match - Rahul Dravid.