Indian head coach Rahul Dravid received gladdening wishes from his fans and well-wishers across the globe on the occasion of his 49th birthday.

Dravid scored 24,208 international runs from 509 games across all formats in his 16 years of international cricket between 1996-2012.

Dravid’s achievements have often been overshadowed by Sachin Tendulkar’s excellence with the bat during their playing days. Dravid has been a loyal servant to Indian cricket and played throughout his career with determination and resolution.

Dravid is the fourth-highest run-getter for India in ODIs with 10,768 runs from 340 ODIs at an average of 39.15. Only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426), Virat Kohli (12,169) and Sourav Ganguly (11,221) are ahead of him on the list.

With 13265 runs from 163 Tests, the former Karnataka player is the second-highest run-getter in Test cricket only behind Sachin Tendulkar (15921).

Dravid also captained India in 25 Tests and 79 ODI matches with the team tasting win in 50 matches in both formats. Dravid has caught 333 catches in international cricket, the most by any fielder (excluding wicket-keeper).

Dravid retired from international cricket after India’s tour of Australia 2011-12, where the visitors suffered a 4-0 whitewash.

Dravid was the coach of the India U-19 team that won the World Cup in 2020 under the leadership of Prithvi Shaw. Dravid is credited for structuring the U-19 teams and India A team and helping India to create one of the strongest bench strengths in the world.

Dravid replaced Ravi Shastri as India’s head coach after the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in November last year. Dravid started his international coaching career with a 3-0 win against New Zealand in T20Is followed by a 1-0 win in the Test series.

Dravid is currently with the Indian team in South Africa as they are eyeing their first Test series win in the Rainbow Nation after both the teams are tied at 1-1.

From Wasim Jaffer to Dravid’s then-teammate Venkatesh Prasad have poured wishes for the current Indian team’s head coach.

Captain, Opener, No.3, Wicket Keeper, ICC event winning coach, former NCA head, and now India coach. But above all a great human being.

Happy Birthday to the master of all trades. #HappyBirthdayRahulDravid pic.twitter.com/ZV26flnsTb

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 11, 2022

Happy birthday, Rahul Dravid!
Wishing him and the Indian men’s team a successful year ahead. pic.twitter.com/xMGAW1N6kw

— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) January 11, 2022

Warm birthday wishes to Rahul Dravid, the man who taught an entire generation the art of perseverance and patience. Watching him go about his business is the best advertisement on how to approach sport as well as life.

— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) January 11, 2022

13,288 runs don’t tell you the story. Nor do the 36 test hundreds,
31,258 balls & 44,152 exhausting minutes at the crease – nobody has spent as much time or played as many balls in the history of test cricket.
Happy Birthday Rahul Dravid, for Adelaide, Kolkata & so many more.

— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) January 11, 2022

🏏 24,208 international runs
🌟 48 centuries and 146 fifties
🏆 #U19CWC winning coach in 2018

Happy birthday to India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid 🎂 pic.twitter.com/HlVg3PVuV8

— ICC (@ICC) January 11, 2022

Happiest of birthdays to #IndiranagarKaGunda#RahulDravid pic.twitter.com/Kt8ckV5jnI

— Lavanya (@lav_narayanan) January 10, 2022

A brilliant cricketer, a wonderful human being and a fine coach. Wishing you a very happy birthday Rahul Dravid Sir. May god bless you.

— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) January 11, 2022

Birthday greetings to a thorough gentleman and a role-model for many youngsters, Rahul Dravid. Wishing Rahul ever more love and good fortune. pic.twitter.com/PmDNvgFYbi

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 11, 2022