Ind v Eng 2nd ODI: Dravid set for another landmark

Tags: India tour of England - 2011, India, England, Rahul Sharad Dravid

Published on: Sep 06, 2011

Age doesn't matter until you perform well", is a line which is quoted often whenever a question is asked about a player who touches a threshold age, set not by the player himself but the so-called pundits of the game

"Age doesn't matter until you perform well", is a line which is quoted often whenever a question is asked about a player who touches a threshold age, set not by the player himself but the so-called pundits of the game.

RahulDravid, too, has been confronted with this question often ever since the classy batsman has crossed the 35-year-old barrier. But the right-hander has shut the mouths of his detractors by scoring tons of runs.

Come the second ODI at Rose Bowl against England, and RahulDravid, who will hang his boots after the ongoing series, will become the second-oldest player - MohinderAmarnath made his last ODI appearance at 39 years 36 days - to don the Indian jersey.

Dravid is 38 years 238 days old and the match on Tuesday will be his 340th.

India and England have faced each other only once before at this venue. That was in August 2007. Put into bat first, England made 288 for 2 in their allotted 50 overs, with Alastair Cook and Ian Bell scoring their maiden ODI centuries – 102 and an unbeaten 126 respectively.

India were all out for just 184, giving England a large win by 104 runs. Only Dravid (46) and DineshKarthik (unbeaten 44) could make some contribution with the bat. James Anderson was the wrecker-in-chief for England with 4 for 23.

Before the 2007 game, India had also played one ODI at this venue in September 2004 - that was a Champions Trophy game against Kenya. As expected India beat Kenya quite easily by 98 runs.

England player Jonathan Trott can also become the leading run-scorer in ODIs in 2011 if he scores another 60 runs. He will surpass Australia's Shane Watson’s tally of 1,075 runs.

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