[Watch] When Rahul Dravid took his only Test wicket in rare occasion of 11 players bowling on 2002 West Indies tour
Current India head coach Rahul Dravid picked up his only Test wicket in the fourth game of the five-match series on May 2002 at St.Johns, Antigua. Renowned as one of the best Test batters of all time, Dravid dismissed centurion Ridley Jacobs and broke a sixth-wicket partnership of 166 on Day 5 of the contest.
With the game heading towards a dull draw, the 50-year-old bowled along with the likes of VVS Laxman, Wasim Jaffer, and even wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra as the Indian bowling innings witnessed all 11 players bowling overs. It was only the third time such an occurrence and the first since 1984.
Dravid bowled a flighted off-break that tempted Jacobs to go for a big slog sweep, only to find VVS Laxman at short square leg. The former could not believe his luck and was seen celebrating animatedly with teammates on breaking the mammoth partnership.
Here is a video of the dismissal:
The moment, however, did not have much bearing on the game, with both teams not even getting an opportunity to bat their second innings in a tedious stalemate.
Asked to bat first, India declared at 513/9 in their first innings, with Dravid scoring 91, VVS Laxman and Ajay Ratra recording centuries. In reply, the hosts put on a similar attritional batting display, scoring 629/9 before the captains agreed to shake hands.
Despite the game being a tiring watch on a benign pitch, it marked the first instance of wicketkeepers from both teams (Ajay Ratra and Ridley Jacobs) scoring a century. Although a high-scoring snoozefest, the match is fondly remembered for former skipper Anil Kumble coming out to bowl with a broken jaw and picking up the wicket of Brian Lara.
As for Dravid, it remained his only Test wicket in the 20 overs he bowled in his illustrious career. The legendary cricketer also boasts four ODI wickets in 31 overs, with best figures of 2/43 against South Africa.
The 2002 series marked India's last Test defeat in West Indies
The 2002 tour to the Caribean also marked the last time India lost a Test match, let alone a series against the West Indies. It was when the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, and Brian Lara were still at the peak of their powers.
After a drawn first Test, Team India, led by the effervescent Sourav Ganguly, pulled off a spectacular 37-run win in Port of Spain to capture a 1-0 lead. The hosts hit back immediately with a resounding ten-wicket victory in the third Test at Barbados.
The fourth Test at Antigua ended in a stalemate, setting up for a mouthwatering series decider at Jamaica.
India won the toss in the final Test and made a questionable decision to field first, resulting in the hosts piling up a mammoth total of 422 on the board. In reply, Ganguly'e men were bowled out for a paltry 212, conceding a massive lead of 210 to the West Indies.
Despite bowling out the home side for just 197 in their second innings, Team India had far too much to do in their final essay. Chasing 408, the side was skittled out for 252 despite a valiant 86 by Sachin Tendulkar.
West Indies opener Wavell Hinds, the lone centurion in the Test, was adjudged the Player of the Match. The chief Indian tormentor Shivnarine Chanderpaul was adjudged the Player of the Series for his 562 runs at a stunning average of 140.50, with three centuries.